3.  /I .  itf. 


PRINCETON.  N.J.  ^ 


Purchased  by  the  Mary  Cheves  Dulles  Fund. 


Division  ^  3  4* 

/K4D75 


Section 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/throughjubalandtOOdrac_0 


A  Typical  Bush  Somali 

These  people  wander  through  the  interior  of  Jubaland  in  endless  search  of  water  and  pasture  for  their 
stock.  Wild  and  warlike  at  heart,  the  true  Somali  finds  peace  only  in  strife,  and  freedom  only  in  a 
restless  life. 

Frontispiece. 


fa 


THROUGH 

JUB ALAND 

TO  THE 

LORIAN  SWAMP 

AN  ADVENTUROUS  JOURNEY  OF  EXPLORATION  6*  SPORT 
IN  THE  UNKNOWN  AFRICAN  FORESTS  <S^  DESERTS  OF 
JUBALAND  TO  THE  UNEXPLORED  LORIAN  SWAMP 


MAR  1 6  1914 


V 


BY 


I.  N.  DRACOPOLI 

FELLOW  OF  THE  ROYAL  GEOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY 


WITH  44  ILLUSTRATIONS  &  2  MAPS 


PHILADELPHIA 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

LONDON  :  SEELEY,  SERVICE  &*  CO.  LD. 
1914 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DEDICATED  TO 

MY  MOTHER 

TO  WHOSE  ENCOURAGEMENT  AND  HELP 
I  OWE  EVERYTHING. 


"  Alors  il  se  rappela  de  ces  strophes  du  poete : 
"Pars,  ami,  quitte  tout  et  pars!     Tu  trouveras 

bien  d'autres  amis  que  ceux  que  tu  laisses.  Va! 

sors  des  maisons  et  dresse  tes   tentes.  Habite 

sous  la  tente.    C'est  la,  et  rien  que  la,  qu'habitent 

les  delices  de  la  vie. 

"Dans  les  demeures  stables  et  civilis£es,  il  n'y 

a  point  de  ferveur,  il  n'y  a  point  d'amitie.  Crois- 

moi !  fuis  ta  patrie,  et  enfonce-toi  dans  les  pays  du 

lointain  profond." 

Histoire  du  beau  Hassan  Badreddine. 


PREFACE 


In  a  few  years  the  days  of  adventurous  exploration 
in  Africa  will  have  passed,  and  the  darkness  that 
enshrouded  that  continent  at  the  end  of  last  century 
will  have  melted  away.  With  the  spread  of  civiliza- 
tion, which  ultimately,  no  doubt,  brings  peace  and 
prosperity,  the  interesting  customs  and  habits  of  the 
primitive  tribes  must  change,  giving  place  to  new, 
and  so  brief  is  this  period  of  transition,  that  within  a 
short  space  almost  all  traces  of  the  old  are  obliterated. 

Jubaland  is  an  unexplored  country.  Its  inhabi- 
tants are  living  to-day  in  the  same  fashion  that  their 
forefathers  lived  centuries  ago.  Its  wild  animals 
roam  undisturbed  over  its  wide  and  silent  plains,  or 
lie  unmolested  in  the  shadow  of  its  bush.  But  this 
state  of  affairs  cannot  last.  In  a  few  years  all  will 
be  different,  and  Jubaland  will  be  unrecognizable. 

In  the  following  pages  I  have  attempted  to 
record  my  impressions  of  the  lives  and  habits  of  its 
people  and  its  game,  before  the  Somali  and  the 
Borana  become  civilized  and  the  wild  animals  are 
driven  out  and  finally  exterminated. 

The  explorer  who  enters  for  the  first  time  an 
unknown  country  about  which  there  is  nothing  but 
native  information  on  which  to  depend,  is  at  once 

7 


PREFACE 


faced  by  a  variety  of  problems  as  interesting  as  they 
are  generally  complex  ;  he  can  only  hope,  by  record- 
ing the  plain  and  sober  facts  which  he  has  collected, 
to  create  some  kind  of  foundation,  as  it  were,  upon 
which  future  travellers  may  build,  until  our  knowledge 
of  such  regions  is  complete.  I  have  not  attempted 
in  this  book  to  deal  with  many  of  these  problems, 
interesting  though  they  are,  since  I  do  not  feel 
qualified  to  do  so.  But  as  far  as  time  and  circum- 
stances permitted,  I  paid  special  attention  during  my 
journey  to  the  geography,  the  natives  and  the  natural 
history  of  the  country  I  traversed,  and  my  object  in 
presenting  the  results  of  my  observations  in  the 
following  pages,  is  the  hope  of  adding  something, 
however  small,  to  the  sum  of  human  knowledge. 

My  best  thanks  are  due  to  Captain  R.  E.  Sal- 
keld  for  the  valuable  assistance  he  gave  me  in  Juba- 
land ;  to  the  Hon.  K.  R.  Dundas  for  his  kindness 
and  hospitality ;  to  the  Director  of  Surveys  at 
Nairobi  for  providing  me  with  the  latest  maps  and 
valuable  geographical  data  concerning  Kismayu  and 
the  adjacent  country ;  to  the  Council  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society  for  the  loan  of  scientific  instru- 
ments ;  to  Mr.  F.  Elliott  for  giving  me  much  infor- 
mation as  regards  the  Somali  language  and  the 
meaning  of  native  names  ;  and  to  my  brother-in-law, 
Mr.  Eric  Corbett,  for  reading  and  correcting  my 
manuscript. 

In  Chapter  II.,  I  have  drawn  freely  from  Captain 
Stigand's  book,  The  Land  of  Zinj,  for  information 
concerning  the  early  history  of  Lamu,  and  I  have 

8 


PREFACE 


constantly  referred  to  Mr.  R.  Lydekker's  Game 
Animals  of  Africa  in  writing  the  chapters  on 
Hunter's  Hartebeeste,  and  the  big  game  of  Jubaland. 

All  the  photographs,  from  which  the  illustrations 
were  made,  were  taken  by  myself,  except  the  three  on 
page  138,  which  were  given  me  by  Mr.  F.  Elliott. 

I  should  indeed  be  ungrateful  if  I  did  not  mention 
my  great  indebtedness  to  Mr.  E.  A.  Reeves,  the 
Map  Curator  and  Instructor  to  the  Royal  Geo- 
graphical Society.  It  is  to  his  tuition  and  constant 
help  and  encouragement  that  I  owe  whatever  measure 
of  success  I  may  have  obtained  in  geographical 
surveying. 

I.  N.  DRACOPOLI. 

London,  1913. 


9 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 
British  East  Africa  .... 

CHAPTER  II 
By  Sea  to  Lamu  ..... 

CHAPTER  III 

KlSMAYU  AND  THE  JUBA  RlVER  . 

CHAPTER  IV 
A  Short  Expedition  across  the  Dibayu  Plains 

CHAPTER  V 
Final  Preparations  and  Start  from  Kismayu 

CHAPTER  VI 
A  Chapter  of  Accidents  .... 

CHAPTER  VII 
A  New  River  ..... 

CHAPTER  VIII 
The  Arrola,  or  Hunter's  Hartebeeste 

CHAPTER  IX 
Hunting  in  Joreh  .        .  .  . 

CHAPTER  X 

More  Arrola  and  a  New  Zebra 

ii 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XI 
Across  the  Wilderness  .... 

CHAPTER  XII 
Some  Notes  on  the  Somali 

CHAPTER  XIII 
Further  Notes  on  the  Somali. 

CHAPTER  XIV 
The  Discovery  of  Gulola  Swamp 

CHAPTER  XV 
Into  the  Unknown  .... 

CHAPTER  XVI 
The  Lak  Dera  ..... 

CHAPTER  XVII 
From  the  Haryel  Plains  to  the  Lorian  Swamp 

CHAPTER  XVIII 
Plain  and  Swamp  ..... 

CHAPTER  XIX 
A  Land  of  Mirage  .... 

CHAPTER  XX 
The  Borana ...... 

CHAPTER  XXI 
Marti  Plateau  ..... 

CHAPTER  XXII 
The  Big  Game  of  Jubaland  and  the  Lorian 

12 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

PAGE 

The  Uaso  Nyiro  between  Marti  Plateau  and  Archer's  258 
Post  ........ 

CHAPTER  XXIV 
Some  Notes  on  the  Camel       .....  269 

CHAPTER  XXV 
Back  to  Civilisation      .        .        .        .        .  .279 

CHAPTER  XXVI 
Hints  on  Outfit   .        .        .        .        .        .        .  287 


APPENDIX  A 

Summary  of  the  Geographical  Results  of  the  Expedition  300 
APPENDIX  B 

Climate       ........  307 

APPENDIX  C 

List  of  Trade  Goods      .        .        .        .        .  .308 

APPENDIX  D 

The  Native  Names  of  Animals  .        .         .  .310 

Index.        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  .313 


13 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


A  Typical  Bush  Somali  .... 

.  Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

Natives  at  Mazeras  Station 

22 

A  Native  Bazaar  in  the  Highlands  . 

*  32 

Kismayu  ...... 

.  40 

Ancient  Ruins  at  Gondal 

.  40 

A  Flat -topped  Conifer  .... 

.  50 

Swimming  my  Camels  across  the  Juba  River 

.64 

Our  Guide  ...... 

.  72 

The  Lak  Guran  at  Shimbirleh 

.  82 

An  Ogaden  War  Dance  .... 

.  92 

The  Arrola.  ..... 

.  98 

Oryx  Beisa  .         .  . 

.  IO4 

A  Water-Hole  in  Joreh  .... 

.  IO8 

Topi  ....... 

.  I20 

A  Marabou  Stork  ..... 

•  132 

Loading  a  Camel  with  the  Water  Tanks  . 

•  132 

A  Somali  Woman  ..... 

.  138 

A  Somali  Girl  ..... 

.  I38 

An  Ogaden  War  Dance  .... 

.  138 

Somali  Cattle  ..... 

.  144 

Somali  Warriors  preparing  for  a  Dance  . 

.  I44 

A  Somali  Hut  ..... 

.  I48 

Somali  Ghee  Spoons  .... 

.  156 

14 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Back  of  a  Handle  of  a  Ghee  Spoon  .        .  .156 
Three  Different  Styles  of  Hair  Combs     .        .  .156 
A  Remarkable  Wooden  Sleeping  Pillow    .        .  .156 
A  Loaded  Bullock         .        .        .        .        .  .160 

A  Typical  Camp  Scene    .        .        .        .        .  .168 

Liboyi  Swamp        .         .         .         .         .         .  .178 

A  Large  Ant-heap  near  the  Lak  Dera      .        .  .184 
A  Water-pan  in  the  Desert    .        .         .        .  .188 

My  Headman,  Dahir  Omar       .....  200 

In  the  Lorian  Swamp     ......  208 

The  Second  Lorian  Swamp      .        .        .        .  .217 

The  Uaso  Nyiro  above  Marti  Plateau       .        .  .217 
A  Borana  Water-Bottle         .....  232 

A  Borana  Milk-Pail      .         .         .         .        .  .232 

An  Observation  Station  on  Marti  Plateau        .        .  244 
Telephotograph  of  some  Vultures    ....  248 

Grevy's  Zebra       .......  256 

The  Impalla         .......  256 

Camels  resting  at  Midday       .....  264 

A  Study  in  Discontent  ......  264 

Loading  a  Camel  .        .        .        .        .        .  .276 


MAPS 

PAGE 

Sketch  Map  of  Jubaland,  showing  Distribution  of  Game  16 
Map  of  portion  of  British  East  Africa     .        .  .312 


15 


THROUGH  JUBALAND 

TO  THE 

LORIAN  SWAMP 

CHAPTER  I 

BRITISH  EAST  AFRICA 

British  East  Africa  is  inevitably  associated  in 
the  minds  of  most  people  with  the  Uganda  Railway. 
The  words  conjure  up  a  picture  of  what  has  been 
advertised  as  u  Nature's  Zoo  " — of  lions,  rhinoceros 
and  giraffes  wandering  across  the  track  which  winds 
its  way  through  a  fertile  and  wonderful  country  from 
the  coast  up  to  the  highlands,  the  so-called  "  health 
resort  of  British  East  Africa,"  where  rich  sportsmen 
pass  a  few  hurried  weeks  during  the  winter,  shooting 
big  game  within  comfortable  reach  of  Nairobi.  Even 
in  a  recent  series  of  special  articles  on  the  country, 
which  appeared  in  the  Times,  no  attention  was  paid 
to  any  other  part  of  the  Protectorate  than  that  which 
borders  on  the  railway.  Yet  if  the  reader  will  but 
glance  at  a  map,  he  will  see  that  in  size  that  is  but 
an  insignificant  portion  of  British  East  Africa.  Far 
away  from  Nairobi,  beyond  the  snowy  heights  of 
Kenya,  lies  a  land  still  imperfectly  known,  stretching 
away  to  Abyssinia  in  the  north  and  to  the  Juba  River 
in  the  east.  There  are  still  fully  100,000  square 
b  17 


UNEXPLORED  COUNTRY 

miles  of  unexplored  country,  chiefly  in  the  eastern 
portion  of  these  regions  ;  but  a  great  deal  of  attention 
has  been  paid  by  explorers  during  the  last  few  years 
to  the  interesting  country  immediately  to  the  south  of 
the  Abyssinian  frontier,  and  to  the  lava-strewn  plateau 
between  Lake  Rudolf  and  Marsabit.  The  former 
was  first  surveyed  by  Captain  Maud,  R.E.,  in 
1902-3,  and  again  in  1908-9  by  Major  Gwynn. 
In  1895  Dr.  Donaldson  Smith  explored  the  volcanic 
regions  east  of  Lake  Rudolf,  which  were  crossed 
by  Count  Eduard  Wickenburg  in  1901,  and  again 
described  by  Captain  Stigand  in  his  book,  To 
Abyssinia  through  an  Unknown  Land.  In  1909 
Mr.  G.  F.  Archer  carried  out  the  first  scientific  ex- 
ploration of  this  part  of  British  East  Africa,  and 
extended  the  triangulation  of  the  Survey  Department 
from  Mount  Kenya  to  Kulal,  near  Lake  Rudolf,  where 
he  joined  on  to  Major  Gwynn's  work.  The  detail  work 
has  been  filled  in  by  Mr.  Archer,  Captain  Stigand, 
Mr.  A.  C.  Hoey  and  Mr.  N.  C.  Cockburn,  and  with 
the  exception  of  the  country  round  the  Matthews 
range,  the  western  portion  of  the  Northern  Frontier 
District  is  now  mapped  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy. 

It  was  in  May  1909  that  the  Government  decided 
to  occupy  effectively  the  country  lying  between  the 
Juba  River  and  Lake  Rudolf,  south  of  the  Abyssinian 
frontier,  though  previously  an  agent  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  British  Minister  in  Abyssinia  to  watch 
our  interests  until  the  Boundary  question  had  been 
definitely  settled.  An  effective  administration  of  this 
territory  was  deemed  advisable  in  order  to  check 
intertribal  warfare  and  to  protect  the  Borana,  who 
were  living  in  the  Protectorate,  and  were  friendly, 
from  the  lawless   raiding  parties   from  Abyssinia. 

18 


EFFECTIVE  OCCUPATION 

Moreover,  it  was  hoped  that  if  direct  communication 
could  be  opened  between  the  settled  parts  of  the 
Protectorate  and  the  rich  cattle  districts  in  the  vicinity 
of  Moyale  in  southern  Abyssinia  a  lucrative  trade 
would  ensue.  By  degrees  military  outposts  were 
formed  at  Ngabotok,  Kulal,  Marsabit,  Moyale, 
Wajheir  and  Sarrenleh,  and  a  great  improvement 
has  been  made,  so  that  travelling  has  been  rendered 
perfectly  safe,  at  any  rate  in  the  western  portion. 
This  northern  country  is  still  a  "  closed  district  "  ; 
that  is  to  say,  that  although  conditions  are  satisfactory 
and  on  the  whole  peaceful,  it  is  considered  inadvisable 
as  yet  to  throw  it  open  to  settlers  and  traders,  and  a 
special  permission  from  the  authorities  is  necessary  to 
enable  the  traveller  to  enter  it.  This  large  stretch  of 
country  is  divided  by  a  provisional  line,  drawn  from 
the  junction  of  the  Daua  and  Juba  Rivers  to  the 
Lorian  Swamp  and  passing  immediately  to  the  east 
of  Eil  Wak,  into  two  portions  known  respectively  as 
the  Northern  Frontier  District  on  the  west  and  Juba- 
land  on  the  east.  Jubaland  is  bounded  on  the  east 
by  the  Juba  River,  beyond  which  is  Italian  Somaliland, 
on  the  south-east  by  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  on  the 
south  by  an  imaginary  line  drawn  from  the  Lorian 
Swamp  to  the  Bajun  settlement  of  Kiunga  on  the 
coast.  To  the  south  of  this  line  is  the  province  of 
Tanaland.  I  have  already  mentioned  the  western 
boundary  of  Jubaland,  which  I  have  reason  to  believe 
will  shortly  be  altered  in  order  to  include  Wajheir. 

While  no  large  expeditions  have  been  engaged  in 
exploring  Northern  Jubaland,  much  good  work  has 
been  done  there  by  officers  in  the  King's  African 
Rifles,  and  by  members  of  the  administrative  force 
in  the  course  of  their  travels.    The  late  Lieutenant 

19 


GALLA  AND  SOMALI  TRIBES 


Aylmer,  who  was  killed  in  the  early  part  of  this  year 
by  Abyssinian  poachers,  was  the  first  to  investigate 
this  unknown  region,  and  in  two  papers  contributed 
to  the  Geographical  Journal  he  threw  some  light 
on  the  general  hydrography  of  the  country.  But  the 
southern  half  of  Jubaland  and  the  northern  part  of 
Tanaland,  that  is  to  say,  the  country  between  the 
Tana  River  and  the  Lak  Dera,  has  been  totally 
neglected,  and  still  remains  almost  completely 
unknown.  Westwards  of  410  30'  E.,  as  far  as  the 
Lorian,  no  white  man  had  ever  penetrated  until  I 
crossed  it  this  year. 

"  One  problem  not  yet  solved  is  that  of  the 
continuation  of  the  Uaso  Nyiro,"  was  a  statement 
made  by  Mr.  F.  R.  Cana  in  an  admirable  summary 
of  the  unknown  regions  of  Africa  in  19 n,1  and  he 
continues  :  "  It  is  highly  desirable  that  the  mountains, 
rivers  and  lakes  of  this  part  of  East  Africa  should  be 
made  known  with  certainty.  The  country  is  inhabited 
by  wild  Galla  and  Somali  tribes,  and  most  of  it  is 
a  semi-arid  bush-land,  but  the  soil  is  rich  and  there 
are  many  areas  beside  that  above  Lorian  suitable  for 
cultivation."  It  was  to  solve  this  problem  and  to  add 
as  much  as  possible  to  our  knowledge  of  the  country 
lying  between  the  Lorian  Swamp  and  the  Indian 
Ocean  that  I  undertook  the  journey  that  I  am  about 
to  describe  in  the  following  pages.  Before  I  do  so, 
however,  it  is  advisable  to  define  these  problems  at 
greater  length,  and  to  give  some  account  of  what  was 
already  known  of  the  Lorian. 

The  Uaso  Nyiro,  which  means  in  the  Masai 
language  "the  brown  river,"  rises  in  the  Aberdare 

1  Geographical  Journal,  November  191 1,  "  Problems  of  Exploration  : 
Africa,"  by  F.  R.  Cana. 

20 


THE  UASO  NYIRO 

Mountains,  and  is  known  at  first  as  the  Uaso  Narok 
until  it  is  joined  on  the  Laikipia  Plateau  by  the 
Ngare  Nyuki,  which  flows  down  from  the  western 
slopes  of  Kenya.  Together  they  turn  north  and 
then  almost  due  east,  and  known  now  as  the  Uaso 
Nyiro  it  flows  for  over  350  miles,  until  it  enters 
a  huge  bed  of  reeds  known  as  the  Lorian  Swamp. 
The  position  of  the  western  end  of  the  swamp  has 
generally  been  given  on  the  various  maps  of  East 
Africa  as  in  latitude  i°  N.,  longitude  390  3c/  E.,  and 
this  is  approximately  correct,  but  Mr.  C.  W.  Hay- 
wood placed  it  nearly  forty  miles  farther  east  in  his 
sketch  map  published  in  the  Geographical  Journal, 
May  191 3.  It  was  first  discovered  by  Chanler  and 
von  Hohnel,  who  reported  it  to  be  apparently  of 
great  extent  and  filled  with  high  reeds ; 1  they  further 
stated  that  it  occasionally  overflowed,  and  sent  its 
waters  farther  east.  In  1901  Count  Wickenburg 
passed  it  and  found  no  stream  emerging  from  its 
eastern  edge ; 2  Colonel  Broun,  who  reached  it  in 
1905,  corroborates  this  statement.  He  remained 
there  two  days,  and  says  :  "  Most  unfortunately,  the 
small  quantity  of  food  left  for  my  porters  did  not 
justify  a  longer  stay.  .  .  .  What  was  seen  was  an 
immense  bed  of  reeds  twelve  feet  high  and  no  open 
water,  .  .  .  My  guide  .  .  .  said  he  was  clear  that 
no  water  flowed  out  of  the  swamp  from  any  point  on 
its  circumference.  He  was  questioned  closely  on  that 
point."3  Mr.  C.  W.  Haywood,  however,  who,  after 
an  interesting  journey  from    Kismayu   along  the 

1  Through  Jungle  and  Forest,  by  W.  A.  Chanler. 

2  Geographical  Journal,  February  1902. 

3 Ibid.  January  1906,  "A  Journey  to  the  Lorian  Swamp,"  Lieut.-Col. 
W.  H.  Broun. 

21 


THE  UASO  NYIRO 


Somali  trade  route  to  Wajheir,  reached  the  Lorian 
at  the  height  of  the  dry  season,  states  :  " .  .  .  the 
Uaso  Nyiro  runs  out  of  this  swamp  in  a  fairly  large 
stream  and  then  flows  in  a  south-easterly  direction  for 
about  thirty  miles,  when  it  reaches  a  swamp  known 
as  *  Ururaha.'  Here  the  river  splits  up  into  little 
swamps  running  off  in  different  directions  like  the 
fingers  of  a  hand  and  gradually  trickles  out  in  a  tiny 
stream  a  few  feet  in  width  and  about  six  inches  in 
depth.  This  runs  on  for  about  ten  miles,  gradually 
dwindling  until  it  eventually  dries  up  entirely  near 
Marer  Koh,1  where  the  dry  watercourse  known  as 
Lak  Dera,  which  runs  down  in  the  direction  of 
Afmadu,  commences.  I  had  not  time  to  follow  this 
course,  but  there  is  no  doubt  it  is  well  denned.  .  .  ." 2 

Mr.  Haywood  has  obviously  confused  the  main 
Lorian  Swamp  with  an  extensive  shallow  depression 
covered  with  grass  and  surrounded  by  jungle,  and 
crossed  by  three  shallow  channels  situated  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Uaso  Nyiro,  and  which  the  Borana 
call  Melka  Gela.  He  has  called  it  Jaffa- wein,  but 
this  is  the  name  applied  by  the  natives  to  the  southern 
side  of  the  bed  of  reeds,  which  forms  the  main  swamp. 
There  are  several  other  points  in  his  description  of  it 
with  which,  I  am  afraid,  I  entirely  disagree,  but  I  shall 
have  more  to  say  about  them  in  dealing  with  the 
Lorian  in  the  course  of  my  narrative. 

Another  description  is  as  follows  :  " .  .  .  the  E. 
Uaso  Nyiro  was  very  low,  and  was  not  running 
into  the  swamp,  but  formed  a  long  series  of  dis- 
connected pools.    These  pools,  some  as  much  as  two 

1  Probably  the  same  place  as  I  mention  under  the  name  of  Madoleh. 

2  Geographical  Journal,  May  1913,  "The  Lorian  Swamp,"  C.  H. 
Haywood. 

22 


A  SOLID  MASS  OF  FISH 


miles  in  length,  were  practically  a  solid  mass  of 
myriads  of  fish,  mostly  siluroids,  and  often  running 
up  to  30  lb.  in  weight.  From  the  photographs 
shown  the  numbers  of  the  fish  were  incredible.  No 
water  could  be  seen  from  bank  to  bank,  nothing  but 
millions  of  fish  packed  as  close  as  could  be,  but  all 
alive.  There  were  more  fish  than  water.  In  some 
pools  the  crocodiles  appear  to  have  collected,  and 
half  a  dozen  of  these  saurians  could  be  seen  lying 
packed  in  a  pool  not  more  than  1 5  feet  across.  Just 
before  the  traveller  left  the  swamp  the  river  was 
beginning  to  rise,  rain  having  evidently  fallen  at  the 
head-waters  of  the  river." 1 

This  curious  and  interesting  account  was  con- 
firmed in  a  conversation  I  had  recently  with  Mr. 
W.  N.  Macmillan,  the  well-known  African  sportsman 
and  traveller,  who  had  witnessed  a  similar  scene. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  accounts  given  by  big-game 
hunters,  traders  and  officials,  who  have  from  time  to 
time  made  their  way  into  the  Lorian  district,  and  it 
will  be  seen  what  an  extraordinary  divergence  of 
opinion  there  was  between  them.  To  some  extent 
this  may  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  undoubtedly 
the  Lorian  varies  enormously  with  the  time  of  year, 
and  during  the  rains  it  probably  presents  an  entirely 
different  appearance  to  what  it  does  during  the  dry 
season.  Another  fact  which  no  doubt  has  caused 
some  confusion  is  the  name  Lorian,  as  used  by  the 
natives.  The  river  which  enters  the  swamp  is  known 
as  the  Uaso  Nyiro  from  the  junction  of  the  Uaso 
Narok,  and  Ngare  Nyuki  until  the  remarkable  vol- 
canic plateau  of  Marti  is  reached.     Thence  until 

1  Journal  of  East  Africa  and  Uganda,  Nat.  Hist.  Soc,  July  1912, 
"A  Journey  to  the  Lorian  Swamp,"  communicated. 

23 


THE  LORIAN 

permanent  water  ceases  at  Madoleh,  it,  as  well  as  the 
country  lying  on  both  sides,  is  known  to  the  Borana 
and  the  Somali  under  the  general  name  of  "  Lorian." 
But  since  Marti  Plateau  is  about  one  hundred  miles 
west  of  the  main  Lorian  Swamp,  some  travellers  have 
been  very  much  puzzled  when  told  they  had  reached 
Lorian  by  the  natives,  and  they  have  on  several 
occasions  returned  without  having  penetrated  farther 
than  Melka  Gela — even  if  they  have  reached  as  far. 
This  will  probably  explain  the  reports  of  those  who 
described  the  Lorian  Swamp  as  a  shallow  lake  or  a 
large  expanse  of  open  water.  But  the  greatest  con- 
fusion has  been  caused  by  those  who,  having  travelled 
thither  and  back  again  without  any  attempt  to  carry 
out  more  than  a  rough  compass  sketch  of  their  route, 
if  they  even  did  that,  do  not  hesitate  to  make  a  map 
of  their  journey  on  their  return.  Colonel  Broun, 
however,  brought  back  an  excellent  map  of  the  lower 
Uaso  Nyiro,  and  my  work  corresponded  very  closely 
with  his  results,  except  for  a  difference  as  regards  the 
height  of  Marti  Plateau. 

But  the  country  to  the  east  of  Lorian,  between 
the  main  swamp  and  Afmadu,  was  quite  unknown, 
and  had  remained  unexplored  south  of  the  Wajheir- 
Afmadu  road.  The  opinion  had  been  held  for  some 
time,  however,  that  a  river,  or,  at  any  rate,  a  small 
stream  called  "  Lakdera,"  did  connect  the  Lorian 
Swamp  with  the  shallow  lake  known  as  the  Deshek 
Wama,  which  is  situated  not  very  far  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Juba  River,  and  it  had  been  referred  to  as 
"the  great  watercourse  which  runs  from  Lake 
Lorian."  Moreover,  it  was  generally  known  as  the 
"River  Lakdera."  The  marking  of  this  channel  on 
even  the  most  recently  published  maps  under  this 

24 


HYDROGRAPHY  OF  JUB ALAND 


title  is  another  striking  instance  of  the  confusion  in 
geographical  nomenclature  which  often  shows  itself 
in  the  maps  of  a  new  country.  "Lak"  is  itself  the 
native  term  in  this  part  of  Africa  for  a  river-bed  in 
which  water  only  occasionally  runs,  while  "dera"  is  a 
separate  word,  meaning,  in  Somali,  "long."  Another 
strange  mistake  was  the  name  given  to  a  small  water- 
hole — Lake  Worrta.  For  "worrta"  is  the  Somali 
word  for  "rainpool." 

In  1898  Captain  C.  O.  Tanner  surveyed  the  lower 
part  of  the  Lak  Dera  from  the  Deshek  Wama  to  above 
Afmadu,  and  he  stated  on  his  map  that,  according 
to  native  report,  it  came  from  Lorian.  He  also 
found  another  stream  bed,  the  Lak  Jiro,  coming  from 
the  north,  which  joined  the  Lak  Dera  at  Afmadu. 

The  hydrography  of  southern  Jubaland  had  also 
aroused  considerable  speculation,  for  along  the  coast 
from  Kismayu  to  Port  Durnford  there  are  a  number 
of  small  inlets  and  creeks,  down  which  water  had 
been  observed  to  flow  occasionally.  Where  did  this 
water  come  from  ?  Were  there  any  hills  in  the 
interior,  or  a  plateau,  which  they  drained  ?  What  was 
the  nature  and  importance  of  the  "  Lak  Guranluga," 
a  river  marked  on  every  map,  and  which  was  stated 
in  an  official  report,  published  two  years  ago,  to  rise 
in  the  El  Lin1  swamp  and  to  run  southwards  until 
it  joined  the  "  River  Arnole "  ?  What  was  the 
character  of  the  Bisahu  Hamu,  shown  on  every  map 
of  Jubaland  as  a  very  large  swamp  lying  on  the 
Equator,  and  fed  by  two  streams  from  the  north  ? 
Was  there  any  important  divide  or  watershed  between 

1  The  name  El  Lin  does  not  seem  to  be  known  to  the  natives — at 
any  rate  to  none  of  those  I  met.  It  probably  corresponds  to  the  swamp 
I  have  called  Seyera  on  my  map. 

25 


NAIROBI 


the  Tana  River  and  the  Lak  Dera  ?  Such  were  only 
a  few  of  the  questions  which  it  was  hoped  the  ex- 
ploration of  Jubaland  would  solve.  Moreover,  the 
study  of  the  inhabitants  and  the  fauna  could  not  fail 
to  be  of  interest. 

I  arrived  at  Mombasa  in  the  month  of  October 
19 1 2,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  Nairobi  in  order 
to  see  the  authorities  and  obtain  permission  to  under- 
take my  journey.  The  railway  journey  is  too  well 
known  to  need  any  description.  Three  years  had 
passed  since  I  had  last  travelled  on  the  Uganda 
Railroad,  but  time  had  brought  no  change  for  the 
better  in  its  comfort,  and  the  carriages  were  not 
improved  in  any  way.  We  arrived  in  Nairobi  about 
four  hours  late,  and  having  engaged  a  room  at  the 
hotel,  I  strolled  round  the  town  to  renew  old 
acquaintances.  I  found  Nairobi  much  grown  in  size, 
but  not  in  beauty.  It  is  neither  African  nor  European, 
but  seems  to  combine  in  one  city  the  discomforts  of 
two  civilisations  without  the  advantages  of  either. 
I  at  length  managed  to  obtain  a  pass  to  enter 
Jubaland  after  some  irritating  delays,  but  it  was 
only  through  the  kindness  of  Captain  Salkeld,  the 
Provincial  Commissioner  of  Jubaland,  who  happened 
to  be  in  Nairobi  on  official  business  at  the  time.  I 
engaged,  on  his  recommendation,  a  Somali  headman 
named  Dahir  Omar,  and  also  an  interpreter,  who 
came  from  Somaliland,  while  in  the  bazaar  I  found 
an  Akamba  boy,  who  had  been  my  personal  servant 
on  a  previous  expedition,  and  I  arranged  to  take  him, 
a  cook  and  a  gun-bearer  (both  the  latter  Swahilis) 
with  me,  as  it  might  be  impossible  to  get  others  in 
Kismayu,  the  little  town  on  the  coast  of  Jubaland, 
from  which  I  was  to  start  my  journey.    Mr.  R.  P. 

26 


ENGAGING  MEN 

Cunninghame,  the  well-known  naturalist,  very  kindly 
found  me  a  good  native  boy,  who  could  collect  birds, 
if  necessary,  and  was  an  expert  skinner.  He  proved 
to  be  an  Akamba  boy  of  powerful  build  and  ex- 
ceedingly ugly,  who  rejoiced  in  the  name  of  Kampi 
Mbaya  (bad  camp).  He  had  been  so  nicknamed,  it 
appeared,  from  the  fact  that  he  had  once  distinguished 
himself  in  a  big  fight  between  porters  of  a  safari,  in 
which  he  had  stunned  three  men  ;  both  he  and  the 
camp  at  which  it  occurred  had  been  christened 
simultaneously !  In  spite  of  his  quick  temper,  he 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  best  men  I  had  with  me, 
and  served  me  well  and  faithfully  throughout  my 
journey.  I  left  Nairobi  without  regret  and  reached 
Mombasa  with  pleasure.  In  this  delightful  old  town, 
so  full  of  historical  interest,  I  spent  some  pleasant 
days  waiting  for  the  steamer  to  sail  for  Kismayu.  I 
engaged  six  porters  here,  chiefly  Swahili ;  for  although 
the  arid  nature  of  the  country  I  was  to  traverse 
rendered  it  imperative  to  use  camels  which  were  best 
obtained  on  the  coast,  it  was  necessary  to  take  a  few 
porters  to  carry  scientific  instruments  and  cameras 
on  the  march,  which  would  have  shaken  to  pieces 
on  a  camel,  and  to  collect  wood  and  water  in  the 
evenings.  I  always  try  to  reduce  the  number  of 
my  men  to  a  minimum,  for  it  greatly  simplifies  the 
question  of  food-supply  and  renders  the  traveller  far 
more  independent  and  the  caravan  far  handier,  in 
case  hard  marches  are  necessary.  I  also  bought  part 
of  my  trade  goods  here.  At  last  everything  was 
settled,  the  little  steamer  Wiesman  sailed  into 
Mombasa  harbour,  and  I  went  down  towards  the 
dock  full  of  eagerness  and  impatience  to  be  gone, 
and  to  start  on  the  long  journey  that  lay  before  me. 

27 


CHAPTER  II 


BY  SEA  TO  LAMU 

The  day  had  been  particularly  hot,  even  for 
Mombasa,  but  now  as  I  walked  down  from  the  club 
to  the  little  harbour,  the  evening  breeze  brought 
freshness  to  the  heated  air,  and  ruffled  with  tiny  cat's 
paws  the  smooth,  glassy  surface  of  the  harbour. 
In  the  distance  I  could  see  the  line  of  foam  where 
the  lazy  swell  broke  over  the  reefs,  and  close  at  hand 
the  palms  stirred  and  whispered  gently  in  the  night 
wind.  The  little  Wiesman  lay  at  anchor  in  the  bay  ; 
she  had  that  morning  come  in  from  Zanzibar,  and 
was  to  start  the  same  night  for  the  north,  calling  at 
Malindi,  Lamu,  Kismayu,  Brava  and  Mogadishu. 
Then  she  would  return.  She  belonged  to  an  Indian 
firm  and  was  in  charge  of  two  white  officers  and  a 
Lascar  crew.  Her  sole  accommodation  consists  of 
a  couple  of  tiny  cabins  amidships,  a  minute  saloon  on 
the  poop,  into  which  five  men  could  just  squeeze  at 
meal-times,  and  a  toy  navigating  bridge  above  the 
cabin.  As  I  made  my  way  down  the  steep  incline 
to  the  landing-stage,  she  blew  her  whistle  twice  im- 
patiently. My  men,  stores  and  luggage  were  all  on 
board  in  charge  of  my  headman,  so  I  was  alone  in 
the  little  boat  in  which  I  was  rowed  across.  As  I 
stepped  on  board  I  was  greeted  by  the  skipper,  and 
after  taking  a  drink  with  him  in  the  little  saloon,  we 
made  our  way  on  to  the  bridge ;  shortly  after,  my 

28 


MIXED  HUMANITY 


two  fellow-travellers  came  aboard,  both  officials 
bound  for  Jubaland,  and  as  soon  as  they  arrived 
anchor  was  weighed.  The  sun  had  set  in  a  very 
riot  of  colour,  and  Mombasa  was  hidden  in  the  soft, 
velvety  darkness  of  a  tropical  night ;  but  hundreds 
of  little  lights  shone  brightly  along  the  shore,  and 
were  reflected  in  the  water,  as  we  steamed  fussily  out 
towards  the  open  sea.  The  Wiesman  emerged  at 
length  from  the  channel  and  began  pitching  as  she 
met  the  ocean  swell,  leaving  in  her  wake  a  line  of 
phosphorescent  fire  ;  the  lights  grew  dim  behind  us 
and  faded  from  our  sight,  and  I  felt  at  last  that  my 
journey  had  begun. 

At  the  skipper's  suggestion  we  had  our  blankets 
brought  up  on  to  the  bridge,  glad  to  escape  the  horrors 
of  the  tiny  cabins.  Every  available  part  of  the  deck 
below  was  occupied  by  the  native  passengers  ; 
covered  up  to  the  eyes,  they  lay  outstretched  in 
every  corner,  rendering  it  impossible  to  move  about ; 
among  them  were  Somali  returning  to  their  country, 
M  askaris  "  travelling  to  Sarrenleh,  Bajun  and  Swahili 
on  their  way  to  Kismayu  or  Lamu,  Kikuyu  recruits 
going  to  the  rubber  plantations  on  the  lower  Tana, 
now  all  huddled  together  irrespective  of  creed  or  caste, 
overcome  by  fatigue  and  sleep.  Over  all  hung  the 
odour  of  the  cargo  of  hides,  and  of  the  huddled  mass 
of  humanity,  defiling  the  pure  air  of  the  open  sea  ; 
and  now,  as  the  pitching  of  the  ship  increased,  loud 
sounds  of  distress  came  from  the  wretched  natives 
below  as  they  writhed  in  the  throes  of  sea-sickness, 
drowning  the  throbbing  of  the  crazy  engines  and 
making  night  hideous  with  their  cries. 

At  the  wheel,  on  the  navigating  bridge  above, 
stood  a  Lascar,  a  picturesque  ruffian  in  blue  overalls 

29 


PICTURESQUE  BUILDINGS 


which  trade  had  made  known  to  them  ;  and  there 
they  founded  small  separate  kingdoms.  The  history 
of  Lamu  from  that  time  onwards  is  somewhat 
obscure,  but  it  is  known  to  have  undergone  many 
vicissitudes ;  it  was  captured  by  Tristan  da  Cunha 
at  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  con- 
tinued to  be  under  Portuguese  rule,  in  spite  of  many 
revolutions,  for  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  years. 
Civil  war  and  internal  dissensions  of  all  kinds  then 
broke  out  along  the  whole  of  the  East  African  coast, 
and  permanent  peace  was  not  secured  until  1893.1 

The  first  thing  that  strikes  the  traveller  on 
entering  Lamu  are  the  tall  stone  houses,  built  of 
coral  rock,  and  constructed  after  the  Arab  fashion, 
round  an  open  central  courtyard.  Many  of  these 
houses  have  beautiful  doors,  handsomely  carved,  and 
decorated  with  brass  or  iron  knobs  or  handles.  The 
streets  are  very  narrow,  only  sufficiently  wide  to 
allow  a  loaded  donkey  or  two  men  abreast  to  pass 
at  the  same  time.  Most  of  the  refuse  is  thrown  out 
into  the  road  from  the  houses,  so  that  the  smell  is 
appalling.  The  narrowness  of  the  streets  only  serves 
to  emphasise  the  height  of  the  houses,  so  that  as  one 
walks  along  they  appear  to  be  nothing  less  than 
"  sky-scrapers."  But  the  effect,  on  the  whole,  is 
quaint  and  picturesque. 

Another  sight,  peculiar  to  Lamu  I  believe,  cannot 
fail  to  interest  the  traveller.  A  free-born  woman, 
when  she  goes  out  into  the  town,  holds  a  kind  of  tent, 
called  "Shiraa,"  above  her  head.  It  is  composed  of 
two  cloths  sewn  together,  with  a  stick  attached 
to  each  corner.  If  she  has  no  servants  or  slaves, 
she  takes  two  sticks  in  each  hand  and  thus  stretches 

1  The  Land  of  Zinj>  by  Capt.  C.  H.  Stigand,  p.  15. 
32 


ADMINISTRATIVE  CENTRE 


the  cloth  above  her  head.  If  she  has  one  servant, 
the  latter  walks  in  front  holding  two  sticks  spread 
out  fanwise,  and  her  mistress  follows  her,  holding 
the  other  two  ;  but  if  she  is  a  rich  woman  and  has 
two  slaves,  she  walks  in  the  middle,  while  one  slave 
goes  in  front  and  the  other  behind  supporting  the 
shiraa,  one  stick  in  each  hand,  above  the  lady's 
head.  The  procession  thus  formed  is  somewhat 
comic,  and  very  clumsy ;  what  the  origin  of  this 
interesting  custom  is,  is  not  known.  Owing  to  the 
darkness  of  the  streets  in  the  late  afternoon,  my 
attempts  at  photographing  were  not  successful,  much 
to  my  disappointment. 

Lamu  is  the  administrative  centre  of  the  district 
of  Tanaland,  and  is  the  residence  of  several  Govern- 
ment officials.  Its  inhabitants  are  of  various  races, 
and  consist  of  Arabs,  Swahili,  who  are  probably 
people  of  mixed  Persian  and  African  descent,  slaves 
from  every  kind  of  native  tribe  from  the  interior, 
Somali,  Indian  traders  and  Galla.  They  are 
notorious  throughout  East  Africa  for  their  licentious- 
ness, and  every  form  of  unnatural  vice  is  common. 
In  the  days  of  their  prosperity  china  and  pottery 
were  manufactured  there,  but  it  has  now  become  very 
scarce,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  is  impossible  to  find 
labourers,  since  the  slave  trade  has  been  abolished 
and  the  slaves  freed.  There  is  very  little  china  left 
in  Lamu  to-day,  the  greater  part  having  been  sold  to 
traders  and  collectors  under  the  stress  of  poverty  ;  at 
Mombasa  and,  in  fact,  almost  anywhere,  it  fetches  a 
high  price  and  is  much  sought  after. 

I  was  very  hospitably  received  by  the  Provincial 
Commissioner,  Mr.  A.  T.  Reddie.  He  has  spent 
twenty  years  of  his  life  in  East  Africa,  and  was  the 
c  33 


A  HORN  WITH  A  HISTORY 

first  man  to  reach  the  Lorian  Swamp  by  way  of  the 
Tana  Valley.  During  his  travels  he  has  gathered 
together  a  unique  collection  of  great  ethnological  and 
historical  interest,  part  of  which  I  had  the  privilege 
of  seeing.  Amongst  other  things  which  particularly 
struck  me  was  an  enormous  ivory  horn,  made  from 
the  tusk  of  a  large  bull  elephant,  very  richly  carved 
and  ornamented.  The  history  of  this  very  interest- 
ing instrument  and  that  of  the  brass  horn  from  which 
it  was  copied,  was  written  out  for  him  by  the  Sultan 
of  Witu,  and  I  give  it  here,  exactly  as  it  was  trans- 
lated from  the  Swahili : — 

History  of  the  Brass  Horn 

The  Sultan  of  Manda  bought  it  from  a  dhow 
which  came  from  Arabia,  previous  to  the  Ivory  one 
being  made  (Hejira  701). 

The  Wazee  of  Lamu  for  some  reason  thought 
they  ought  to  possess  it,  or  wished  to  possess  it. 

They  accordingly  went  to  the  man  in  whose 
charge  it  was  and  said,  "  We  will  pay  you  well  if  you 
let  us  get  possession  of  the  horn."  He  said,  "  No ! 
I  cannot  do  this,  as  if  the  Sultan  knows  I  gave  it  to 
you  he  would  kill  me."  The  Wazee  of  Lamu  replied, 
"  You  can  tell  the  Sultan  that  we  took  it  by  force 
from  you,"  and  he  agreed  to  do  so.  Therefore  one 
day  when  he  was  out  blowing  it  at  sun-set,  he  handed 
it  over  to  the  Lamu  people  and  reported  to  his 
Sultan  that  men  from  Lamu  had  taken  it  by  force 
from  him. 

A  war  between  the  two  peoples  was  the  conse- 
quence, but  the  Lamu  people  kept  the  "  Horn." 

They  cast  lots  as  to  who  was  to  look  after  it. 

34 


A  HORN  WITH  A  HISTORY 


It  fell  to  the  Wajiri  family  to  be  its  custodians,  and 
they  keep  it  to  this  day. 

History  of  the  Ivory  Horn  of  Patte 

The  ivory  horn  (Siwa)  was  made  at  Patte  by 
Sherif  Jamall  Lail,  it  is  said,  about  700  years  ago. 
He  made  it  in  secret.  He  presented  it  to  the  then 
Sultan  of  Patte,  who  gave  him  a  handsome  present. 
It  was  blown  on  all  state  occasions,  as  well  as  lent 
to  the  Principal  men  of  Patte  on  the  occasion  of 
marriage  or  other  festivities  in  their  families.  At 
that  time  Lamu  was  a  part  of  the  dominions  of  the 
Patte  Sultans.  The  great  families  of  Lamu  also 
were  lent  it  for  the  above  purposes. 

At  a  recent  date,  namely,  the  occasion  of  the 
marriage  of  the  Ex-Wali  of  Lamu  Abdulla  bin 
Hamed  to  his  present  wife  Fatuma  binti  Mohamed, 
it  was  borrowed  by  the  bride's  father  to  be  used  at 
the  marriage  ceremony.  At  this  time  there  was 
living  in  Lamu  Fumo  Bakari,  one  of  the  Ex-Sultans 
of  the  Nahaban  line.  After  the  marriage  ceremony 
Fumo  Bakari  seized  it ;  he  said  it  must  not  be 
returned  to  Patte.  He  sold  it  to  a  woman,  Binti 
Waziri,  who  was  the  living  representative  of  the 
family  which  was  the  hereditary  keeper  of  the  Lamu 
brass  trumpet,  which  was  at  that  time  in  her  house. 
Binti  Waziri  gave  Fumo  Bakari  thirty  dollars  for 
it.  Kombo  bin  Sham,  one  of  the  Patte  Wazee  and 
a  resident  of  Lamu,  stated  before  the  then  Wali  of 
Lamu,  Sudi  bin  Hamed,  that  the  Horn  was  not  the 
property  of  the  Royal  Family,  but  belonged  to  the 
Wazee  of  Patte.  The  Wali  replied,  "  Pay  dollars 
thirty  for  it  and  I  will  get  it  from  Binti  Waziri." 

35 


A  HORN  WITH  A  HISTORY 


first  man  to  reach  the  Lorian  Swamp  by  way  of  the 
Tana  Valley.  During  his  travels  he  has  gathered 
together  a  unique  collection  of  great  ethnological  and 
historical  interest,  part  of  which  I  had  the  privilege 
of  seeing.  Amongst  other  things  which  particularly 
struck  me  was  an  enormous  ivory  horn,  made  from 
the  tusk  of  a  large  bull  elephant,  very  richly  carved 
and  ornamented.  The  history  of  this  very  interest- 
ing instrument  and  that  of  the  brass  horn  from  which 
it  was  copied,  was  written  out  for  him  by  the  Sultan 
of  Witu,  and  I  give  it  here,  exactly  as  it  was  trans- 
lated from  the  Swahili : — 

History  of  the  Brass  Horn 

The  Sultan  of  Manda  bought  it  from  a  dhow 
which  came  from  Arabia,  previous  to  the  Ivory  one 
being  made  (Hejira  701). 

The  Wazee  of  Lamu  for  some  reason  thought 
they  ought  to  possess  it,  or  wished  to  possess  it. 

They  accordingly  went  to  the  man  in  whose 
charge  it  was  and  said,  "  We  will  pay  you  well  if  you 
let  us  get  possession  of  the  horn."  He  said,  "  No ! 
I  cannot  do  this,  as  if  the  Sultan  knows  I  gave  it  to 
you  he  would  kill  me."  The  Wazee  of  Lamu  replied, 
"You  can  tell  the  Sultan  that  we  took  it  by  force 
from  you,"  and  he  agreed  to  do  so.  Therefore  one 
day  when  he  was  out  blowing  it  at  sun-set,  he  handed 
it  over  to  the  Lamu  people  and  reported  to  his 
Sultan  that  men  from  Lamu  had  taken  it  by  force 
from  him. 

A  war  between  the  two  peoples  was  the  conse- 
quence, but  the  Lamu  people  kept  the  "  Horn." 

They  cast  lots  as  to  who  was  to  look  after  it. 

34 


A  HORN  WITH  A  HISTORY 


It  fell  to  the  Wajiri  family  to  be  its  custodians,  and 
they  keep  it  to  this  day. 

History  of  the  Ivory  Horn  of  Patte 

The  ivory  horn  (Siwa)  was  made  at  Patte  by 
Sherif  Jamall  Lail,  it  is  said,  about  700  years  ago. 
He  made  it  in  secret.  He  presented  it  to  the  then 
Sultan  of  Patte,  who  gave  him  a  handsome  present. 
It  was  blown  on  all  state  occasions,  as  well  as  lent 
to  the  Principal  men  of  Patte  on  the  occasion  of 
marriage  or  other  festivities  in  their  families.  At 
that  time  Lamu  was  a  part  of  the  dominions  of  the 
Patte  Sultans.  The  great  families  of  Lamu  also 
were  lent  it  for  the  above  purposes. 

At  a  recent  date,  namely,  the  occasion  of  the 
marriage  of  the  Ex-Wali  of  Lamu  Abdulla  bin 
Hamed  to  his  present  wife  Fatuma  binti  Mohamed, 
it  was  borrowed  by  the  bride's  father  to  be  used  at 
the  marriage  ceremony.  At  this  time  there  was 
living  in  Lamu  Fumo  Bakari,  one  of  the  Ex-Sultans 
of  the  Nahaban  line.  After  the  marriage  ceremony 
Fumo  Bakari  seized  it ;  he  said  it  must  not  be 
returned  to  Patte.  He  sold  it  to  a  woman,  Binti 
Waziri,  who  was  the  living  representative  of  the 
family  which  was  the  hereditary  keeper  of  the  Lamu 
brass  trumpet,  which  was  at  that  time  in  her  house. 
Binti  Waziri  gave  Fumo  Bakari  thirty  dollars  for 
it.  Kombo  bin  Sham,  one  of  the  Patte  Wazee  and 
a  resident  of  Lamu,  stated  before  the  then  Wali  of 
Lamu,  Sudi  bin  Hamed,  that  the  Horn  was  not  the 
property  of  the  Royal  Family,  but  belonged  to  the 
Wazee  of  Patte.  The  Wali  replied,  "  Pay  dollars 
thirty  for  it  and  I  will  get  it  from  Binti  Waziri." 

35 


A  HORN  WITH  A  HISTORY 


They  paid  the  money  and  the  Horn  was  given  to 
Kombo  bin  Sham  and  Nasiri  bin  Abdalla,  and  a 
document  was  written  out  by  the  Wali  that  it  was 
the  property  of  the  Wazee  of  Patte  and  to  be  kept 
by  Kombo  bin  Sham.  It  remained  with  him  till  Said 
bin  Hamed  became  Wali.  He  seized  it  by  force  and 
put  it  in  Lamu  Fort  along  with  the  Lamu  brass  Horn. 

During  the  reign  of  the  Nahaban  Sultans  at 
Witu,  it  was  offered  by  the  then  Wali  of  Lamu,  Said 
bin  Hamed,  to  the  then  Sultan  Ahmed  of  Witu  upon 
condition  that  he  would  hoist  the  Zanzibar  flag,  and 
if  he  would  seize  Mbaruk  of  the  Manzrui  he  would 
be  given  one  thousand  dollars  besides.  Sultan 
Ahmed  refused  to  do  so,  and  the  Siwa  remained 
in  the  Fort.  By  an  arrangement  between  the  Ex- 
Wali  Abdulla  bin  Hamed  and  Mr.  Rogers,  Sub- 
Commissioner,  it  was  placed  in  the  house  of  the 
latter,  where  it  still  is. 

It  was  customary  both  in  Mr.  Rogers'  and  Mr. 
Macdougall's  time  to  lend  it  to  certain  of  the  old 
families  of  Lamu  for  any  marriage  or  other  family 
ceremony  (Harusi). 

The  above  information  has  been  given  to  me  by 
Sultan  of  Witu,  Wali  of  Lamu,  Sherif  Abdulla  bin 
Hamed  Redemi  Witu,  Ali  bin  Khalid  of  the  Waziri, 
the  hereditary  custodian  of  the  Lamu  trumpet. 
Mawia  bin  Mohamed  Lamu 
mohamed  bin  hamed  lamu 
Abubokar  bin  Mohamed  Lamu 

Etc.,  etc. 
A.  T.  Reddie, 
Provincial  Commissioner. 

It  was  now  getting  late,  so  I  was  obliged  very 

36 


A  HORN  WITH  A  HISTORY 


reluctantly  to  cut  short  our  most  interesting  conversa- 
tion, and  return  to  the  steamer.  As  soon  as  I  was 
aboard,  the  skipper  weighed  anchor  and  we  pro- 
ceeded very  cautiously  down  through  the  channel 
out  into  the  open  sea.  As  we  were  due  to  arrive 
in  Kismayu  at  sunrise  the  next  morning,  I  went 
to  bed  early.  A  fresh  north-easterly  wind  was 
blowing,  and  the  tiny  steamer  plunged  and  staggered 
over  the  heavy  seas  in  a  most  uncomfortable  fashion, 
but  the  air  was  cool,  and  I  should  have  slept  well 
had  it  not  been  for  the  dreadful  sounds  that  rose 
from  the  wretched  natives  below. 


37 


CHAPTER  III 

KISMAYU  AND  THE  JUBA  RIVER 

It  was  still  quite  early  when  the  Wiesman  turned 
inwards  towards  land  before  entering  the  intricate 
channel  which  is  the  only  passage  into  Kismayu  bay. 
The  coast  lay  some  five  miles  off,  low,  sandy,  and 
inhospitable,  while  in  front  of  it  rose  a  small  island 
and  several  isolated  coral  rocks,  against  which  the 
slow  swell  broke  and  foamed.  These  formed  a 
natural  breakwater,  and  behind  them  rode  on  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  bay  a  variety  of  native  vessels 
of  all  kinds.  But  before  reaching  this  haven,  a  full 
hour  was  spent  in  navigating  the  passage  which 
wound  in  and  about  between  the  coral  reefs  in 
a  most  bewildering  fashion.  The  wretched  natives 
had  forgotten  all  their  miseries,  now  that  calm  water 
had  been  reached,  and  began  chatting  together  and 
discussing  their  plans  in  loud  tones.  Finally  we 
turned  for  the  last  time ;  the  skipper  took  a  bearing, 
and  we  went  forward  slowly  into  the  bay,  at  the 
other  end  of  which  the  little  town  of  Kismayu  could 
be  seen,  a  cluster  of  white  houses  and  native  huts 
nestling  among  the  sand-dunes  near  the  water's  edge. 
We  anchored  at  last  a  mile  and  a  half  out ;  all 
around  the  little  steamboat  was  a  crowd  of  native 
craft  filled  with  Arabs,  Somali  or  Bajun.  Some 
were  helping  to  unload  or  bringing  more  cargo ; 
others  had  come  to  meet  friends  or  merely  to  look 

38 


THE  WHITE  POPULATION 

on ;  at  any  rate  it  was  a  pleasant  and  amusing  scene. 
The  glorious  sunlight,  the  blue  sea  edged  with  cream 
where  the  tiny  waves  lazily  rolled  up  the  beach,  the 
white  houses  beyond,  and  the  happy  crowd  of 
natives,  for  the  most  part  unspoiled  by  civilisation, 
and  clad  in  loose  and  brightly  coloured  robes, 
together  formed  a  very  vivid  picture  of  Eastern  life. 

After  seeing  that  my  men  passed  the  medical 
inspection,  I  climbed  down  the  ladder,  not  sorry  to 
leave  the  wretched  little  steamer,  and  was  rowed 
ashore,  the  last  few  yards  of  the  journey  being  per- 
formed on  the  back  of  one  of  the  boat-boys,  as  the 
beach  sloped  so  gradually  that  it  was  impossible  to 
bring  the  boat  much  nearer  in  than  fifteen  yards  or 
so.  There  was  a  tremendous  va  et  vient  on  the 
beach,  almost  the  whole  of  the  population  turning 
out  to  see  the  arrival  of  the  steamer ;  the  noise  was 
overwhelming,  and  as  the  sun  climbed  higher  in  the 
heavens,  the  glare  increased  and  became  very  trying, 
so  that  I  was  glad  to  pass  out  into  the  little  town. 

Kismayu  boasts  of  no  hotel  or  inn  of  any  kind  ; 
white  visitors  indeed  rarely  come  to  this  part  of  the 
world,  but  when  they  do,  the  hospitality  of  the 
officials  more  than  makes  amends  for  any  lack  of 
accommodation.  The  white  population  of  Kismayu 
consists  of  the  Provincial  and  District  Com- 
missioners and  their  wives,  the  doctor,  and  the 
Inspector  of  the  Jubaland  police.  The  Provincial 
Commissioner  was  away  when  I  arrived,  but  the 
Honourable  K.  R.  Dundas,  the  District  Com- 
missioner, very  kindly  asked  me  to  stay  at  his  house, 
although  I  was  a  perfect  stranger  to  him  ;  and  for 
the  next  week,  while  I  was  busily  preparing  for  my 
journey,  he  made  me  most  truly  welcome.    He  not 

39 


KISMAYU 


only  smoothed  away  many  difficulties  that  con- 
fronted me,  but  took  the  greatest  trouble  to  show 
me  the  many  interesting  things  that  are  to  be  found 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  town,  and  placed  a  riding  camel 
at  my  disposal  to  facilitate  my  movements. 

Kismayu  is  not  only  the  principal  town  in  Juba- 
land,  if  it  may  be  called  a  town  at  all,  but  is  also 
the  seat  of  Government.  It  derives  its  importance 
from  the  fact  that  it  possesses  the  only  well-protected 
roadstead  between  Mogadishu  and  Lamu,  and  thus 
much  of  the  merchandise  designed  for  Giumbo  and 
southern  Italian  Somaliland  passes  through  its  port. 
It  contains  about  4000  inhabitants,  chiefly  Somali, 
Arabs,  Bajun  and  a  few  Indian  traders.  Except  for 
the  custom-house  and  a  few  stone  buildings  in  which 
the  officials  reside,  the  town  is  composed  of  native 
huts  running  in  straight  lines  on  each  side  of  broad 
sandy  streets,  which  in  turn  nearly  all  lead  to  the 
little  central  square  where  the  Treasury,  Court 
House,  Gaol  and  Provincial  Commissioner's  office 
are  situated.  Here  also  is  a  small  hall  with  open 
sides,  where  all  important  meetings  (borassa)  are  held 
between  Somali  chiefs  and  the  Commissioner.  The 
former  also  often  forgather  within  its  walls  to  chat 
over  a  cup  of  coffee  amongst  themselves.  For  the 
Government  employs  a  man  at  a  salary  of  Rs.  15 
a  month  to  supply  coffee  free  to  all  natives  of  any 
position,  and  sweetmeats  on  all  festivals  and  fete 
days. 

Kismayu  boasts  of  a  club,  which  includes  among 
its  members  most  of  the  officers  stationed  in  Juba- 
land,  many  of  the  officials  from  Italian  Somaliland 
and  some  of  the  planters  from  the  Gosha  country 
along  the  Juba  River.    Among  the  regulations  of 

40 


KlSMAYU 


A  street  in  the  native  quarter.  The  palms  afford  the  only 
shade  to  be  found  in  the  town,  and  the  road  is  of  soft  white 
sand. 


Ancient  Ruins  at  Gondal 

These  curious  ruins  are  probably  Persian  in  origin.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the 
heart-shaped  emblem,  shown  over  the  arch  in  this  photograph,  is  al<o  to  be  seen  over  the 
doorway  of  the  Persian  Monastery  at  Lamu,  near  the  mouth  of  the  River  Tana. 


THE  WATER  SUPPLY 


the  club,  there  is  an  unusual  but  most  excellent 
rule,  which  does  not  allow  any  member  to  offer 
another  a  drink  without  incurring  a  fine  of  Rs.  5. 
It  might  with  advantage  be  copied  in  other  clubs  in 
the  Protectorate,  for  there  the  habit  of  standing  and 
being  stood  drinks  has  become  a  perfect  burden, 
especially  to  those  who  are  not  blessed  with  an 
abundance  of  this  world's  goods. 

There  are  several  wells  in  Kismayu,  but  the  water 
they  contain  is  bitter  and  unpleasant  to  the  taste  ;  all 
the  water  therefore  which  is  required  has  to  be 
fetched  from  the  Juba  River  some  nine  miles  away, 
whence  it  is  brought  back  in  twelve-gallon  tanks  on 
camels.  But  the  slope  of  the  ground  is  such  that 
whenever  there  is  any  rain,  all  the  refuse  and  filth 
from  the  little  village  of  Gobwein  is  swept  down  into 
the  river  at  the  only  place  at  which  it  is  practicable 
to  fill  the  water  tanks,  for  further  up  there  is  an 
abundance  of  tsetse  fly.  Consequently  it  is  not 
surprising  that  dysentery  is  rife  at  Gobwein  and 
Giumbo  as  well  as  at  Kismayu,  and  it  is  marvellous 
there  is  no  more. 

Formerly  the  Treasury  at  Kismayu  was  the  fort, 
and  around  it  were  the  officers'  quarters  when  it  was 
a  military  station.  Surrounding  them  was  a  high, 
thick  wall,  which  is  still  standing  in  excellent  repair, 
but  the  little  town  has  now  spread  beyond  it,  and  it 
no  longer  serves  a  useful  purpose,  for  conditions 
along  the  coast  are  quite  peaceful. 

The  town  of  Kismayu,  whose  name  is  said  to  be 
derived  from  the  words  "  Kisima  cha  yuu,"  meaning 
the  "  Upper  Well,"  was  founded  by  Abdul  Malik  bin 
Muriani  in  the  77th  year  of  the  Hejira  (694.  a.d.). 
At  about  the  same  time  the  little  towns  of  Mogadishu, 

4i 


THE  LAND  OF  ZINJ 


Brava  and  Malindi  also  sprang  into  existence  through 
the  enterprise  of  Abdul  Malik ;  he  placed  one  of  his 
own  followers  as  governor  in  each  place,  and  declared 
himself  Sultan.  The  reader  who  is  interested  in  the 
early  history  of  the  East  African  coast  and  in  the 
career  of  Abdul  Malik  and  his  successors,  cannot  do 
better  than  refer  to  Captain  Stigand's  book  entitled 
The  Land  of  Zinj.  In  it  he  will  find  much  valuable 
information  derived  from  Swahili  sources,  translated 
by  the  author.  Time,  however,  has  hardly  changed 
the  daily  life  at  Kismayu.  The  beginning  of  the  north- 
east monsoon  still  brings  traders  from  the  north, 
dhows  from  the  Persian  Gulf  and  from  southern 
Arabia  laden  with  cloths  and  ornaments  from  India, 
with  coarse,  woven  silk  goods  from  Persia,  and  dates 
and  dried  sharks'  flesh  from  the  Persian  Gulf.  After 
six  months,  when  the  south-west  monsoon  begins  to 
blow,  these  same  traders  return  northwards,  having 
sold  or  exchanged  their  goods,  carrying  with  them 
in  their  heavily-loaded  ships  grain,  hides,  ivory  and 
ambergris.  The  latter  commands  a  ready  market 
almost  anywhere,  and  is  very  valuable,  for  it  is  a 
necessary  ingredient  in  the  manufacture  of  perfumes. 
The  ivory  too  finds  its  way,  not  only  to  the  West, 
but  also  to  the  East,  to  India  and  China,  where  it  is 
worked  into  a  variety  of  beautiful  ornaments.  Only 
one  line  of  steamers  links  Kismayu  with  the  outside 
world.  The  Italian  mail-steamer  call  once  a  month, 
but  at  irregular  intervals  the  little  Wiesman,  or  the 
Kilwa,  tiny  obsolete  steamers  belonging  to  rival 
Indian  firms,  laboriously  cover  the  364  miles  that  lie 
between  it  and  Mombasa  in  from  three  to  five  days, 
calling  on  the  way  at  Malindi  and  Lamu. 

In  Kismayu  the  stone  buildings  are  constructed 

42 


THE  BUILDINGS 

of  coral  rock,  with  flat  roofs,  consisting  of  two  storeys 
of  rooms  with  a  balcony  running  outside  on  a  level 
with  the  upper  storey,  to  which  access  is  obtained  by 
means  of  a  broad  wooden  staircase.    The  roads  in 
the  European  quarter  are  also  made  of  crushed  coral 
rock  and  sea-shells  dutifully  pounded  into  a  hard 
smooth  surface  by  the  convicts  from  the  gaol.  The 
final  appearance  of  the  roads  resembles  chalk,  which, 
combined  with  the  sea,  the  sand  and  the  white-washed 
houses,  causes  a  terrible  glare  most  trying  to  the  eyes, 
which  the  green  of  a  few  palm  trees  is  quite  unable 
to  mitigate.    The  native  huts  are  composed  of  a 
single  room  with  walls  and  roof  of  makuti  (palm  fibre 
interwoven  with  reeds  and  branches).    The  doors  are 
low  and  narrow,  and  windows  conspicuous  by  their 
absence.    This  method  of  construction  renders  the 
interior  very  dark,  but  cool ;  in  this  way  the  injurious 
effects  on  the  eyes  of  the  blinding  glare  outside  are 
successfully  counteracted,  and  the  ceaseless  and  un- 
welcome attentions  of  swarms  of  flies  are  discouraged. 
The  interior  is  as  simple  as  the  exterior  is  unpreten- 
tious.   A  small  open  fireplace  in  one  corner,  and  a 
bed  or  couch,  made  by  stretching  a  piece  of  grass 
matting  on  a  low  wooden  framework,  are  the  most 
notable  objects  within;  sometimes  a  few  rugs  of  sheep 
or  goat  skin  cover  the  mud  floor,  while  in  another 
corner  may  be  found  a  few  simple  cooking  utensils 
and  receptacles  for  holding  water  or  ghee.  People 
who  have  not  much  knowledge  of  the  tropics  may 
consider  these  huts  deplorably  primitive  and  barbaric. 
But  they  are,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  outcome  of  long 
experience  and  are  eminently  suited  to  the  trying 
climatic  conditions  that  prevail  along  the  coast.  If 
circumstances  compelled  me  to  live  in  those  regions, 

43 


GALTI  DEPREDATIONS 


I  would  much  prefer  to  inhabit  a  hut  of  this  descrip- 
tion than  a  house  of  European  design. 

It  was  not  long  after  my  arrival  that  I  realised  I 
should  have  to  go  farther  afield  than  Kismayu  to 
obtain  my  camels,  for  all  available  ones  had  long  been 
snapped  up  by  the  authorities  for  the  transport  of 
supplies  to  Sarrenleh,  a  military  post  on  the  upper 
Juba  River.  For  800  men  of  the  King's  African 
Rifles  were  stationed  there  under  eleven  white  officers 
to  patrol  the  north-eastern  corner  of  Jubaland.  This 
was  rendered  necessary  owing  to  the  turbulence  of 
the  Galti  tribe  of  the  Marehan  Somali,  who  had  but 
lately  entered  British  territory,  having  migrated  from 
southern  Somaliland.  True  stock  raiders,  as  all 
Somali  are  at  heart,  they  had  caused  much  trouble  by 
practising  their  favourite  pastime  on  friendly  tribes, 
who  appealed  to  the  Government  for  help,  and  it  was 
in  answer  to  this  request  that  a  patrol  had  been 
despatched  to  restore  order  and  put  a  stop  to  the 
looting  of  cattle.  The  presence  of  a  small  army 
naturally  checked  the  depredations  to  some  extent, 
but  such  is  the  character  of  the  Somali,  that  unless 
the  Galti  are  given  a  thorough  lesson  in  discipline  the 
next  time  they  are  caught  transgressing,  they  will 
immediately  begin  looting  again  with  renewed  energy 
as  soon  as  the  force  is  withdrawn. 

Seeing  how  matters  stood,  I  decided  to  go  over 
to  Giumbo  and  try  to  obtain  permission  to  buy  my 
camels  in  Italian  Somaliland ;  so  I  rode  over  one 
evening  to  Gobwein  on  a  camel  in  company  with  Mr. 
Dundas,  and  remained  the  night  there,  as  the  guest 
of  Lieutenant  Phillips,  who  was  in  charge  of  a  small 
detachment  of  the  Camel  Corps.  Gobwein,  which 
means  in  the  Somali  language  "a  large  plain,"  is 

44 


A  MILITARY  POST 


situated  on  the  very  banks  of  the  Juba  River. 
Between  the  village  and  the  sea  is  a  low  and  narrow 
range  of  hills,  running  north  and  south,  approxi- 
mately 200  feet  in  height,  through  which  the  river  has 
cut  its  way,  leaving  on  each  side  of  its  bed  cliffs  that 
rise  perpendicularly  from  the  water.  On  the  Juba- 
land  side,  on  the  very  top  of  these  cliffs,  stands  the 
little  military  post  of  Gobwein,  and  at  their  foot 
nestles  the  village  itself,  consisting  of  several  hundred 
native  huts,  an  unpretentious  bazaar  and  the  Camel 
Corps  lines.  To  the  north-west  the  little  hill  called 
Helwalud  can  be  seen  covered  with  dense  vegetation, 
which  grows  even  more  profuse,  if  possible,  as  it  nears 
the  water's  edge.  But  in  between  Gobwein  and 
Helwalud  is  a  plain  (from  which  the  former  gets  its 
name),  that  stretches  away  to  the  north-west  until  it  is 
lost  to  view.  In  times  of  great  drought  immense 
herds  of  cattle  are  driven  down  to  water  here  by  the 
Somali,  thousands  upon  thousands  of  head  packed 
tight  together,  for  it  is  unsafe  farther  north,  owing  to 
the  tsetse  fly  that  haunts  the  bush  along  the  river 
banks. 

The  Juba  is  here  a  broad  stream  of  muddy  colour, 
which  has  cut  a  deep  bed  for  itself  in  the  rich  alluvial 
soil.  It  rises  in  the  mountains  of  southern  Abyssinia 
and  flows  in  a  southerly  direction,  but  its  windings  are 
innumerable,  and  below  Sarrenleh  its  current  is  very 
slow.  The  latter  place  has  hitherto  been  mis-spelt 
**  Serenli,"  owing  to  ignorance  of  its  true  meaning. 
In  the  Somali  language  the  suffix  "  leh "  is  often 
added  to  a  word,  and  means  "  containing  or  possess- 
ing." Sarrenleh  means  "  containing  Sarren  grass,"1 
i.e.  the  place  where  Sarren  grass  grows.  Other 

1  Eragrostis  papposa. 

45 


VALLEY  OF  THE  JUBA 


names  formed  in  a  similar  way  are,  for  example, 
Shimbirleh  "(pool)  of  birds,"  Madoleh,  "(place)  of 
darkness,"  and  Arnoleh,  which  means  "containing 
milk,"  in  other  words,  "a  good  place  to  graze  cattle." 

From  Sarrenleh  to  the  sea,  the  valley  of  the  Juba 
is  extraordinarily  level,  the  fall  being  roughly  500 
feet  in  450  miles.    The  river,  which  is  known  locally 
as  the  Webbe  Ganana,  rises  to  its  maximum  height 
between  the  months  of  October  and  December ;  it 
then  falls  slowly  until  April,  when  it  begins  to  rise 
again  ;  in  June  the  floods  subside,  in  July  it  is  at  its 
lowest  ebb,  but  in  August  it  increases  once  more. 
Between  the  two  low-water  periods,  shallow  draught 
steamers   can   proceed   for   nearly   400   miles  up 
river.    Owing  to  the  extreme  flatness  of  the  country, 
it  has  no  important  tributary  in  Jubaland  except  the 
river  Daua.    During  the  rains  there  are  no  doubt 
several  small  streams  that  temporarily  discharge  their 
waters  into  it,  and  of  these  probably  the  largest  is 
the  outlet  from  the    Deshek  Wama.     There  are 
numerous  swamps  on  both  sides  that  lie  just  outside 
the  belt  of  tropical  vegetation  that  clothes  the  banks. 
Above  Mfudu  the  country  is  at  first  densely  covered 
with  forest,  but   below,    as  far  as  Helwalud,  the 
country  is  under  cultivation.    Maize  and  sim-sim  are 
doing  well  in  the  hands  of  natives,  and  an  English 
company  is  busy  growing   cotton    in    the  district 
between  Yonti  and  Helwalud.    I  was  fortunate  in 
being   able  to   visit   this   plantation    through  the 
kindness  of  Mr.  Gabriel,  to  whom  it  belongs,  and  I 
was  very  hospitably  entertained  there  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.    Sargent,   who  are  interested  in    the  estate. 
I  was  much  struck  by  the  extraordinary  fertility  of 
the  soil ;   moreover,  the  physical  formation  of  the 

46 


THE  TANA 


country  and  the  nature  of  the  river  lend  themselves 
admirably  to  irrigation,  so  that  there  appears  to  be  a 
very  prosperous  future  in  store  for  this  part  of  the 
country. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  on  a  map,  published 
in  the  year  1806,  the  Tana  was  confused  with  the 
Juba  River.  It  was  known  presumably  that  a  large 
stream  rose  in  Abyssinia  and  flowed  southwards. 
Travellers  had  also  certainly  reported  that  an 
important  river  flowed  into  the  Indian  Ocean  south 
of  Lamu.  The  draughtsman  at  home,  responsible 
for  the  map,  was  evidently  struck  by  these  two  facts, 
and  immediately  drew  in  a  new  river  which  rose  in 
Abyssinia,  flowed  across  the  country  which  is  now 
called  Jubaland  and  poured  its  water  into  the  sea 
near  Lamu. 

On  the  hill  immediately  opposite  to  Gobwein 
stands  the  little  town  of  Giumbo.  This  is  the 
administrative  capital  of  Italian  Somaliland,  which 
stretches  from  the  Gulf  of  Aden  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Juba  River  between  the  Indian  Ocean  and  the 
East  African  boundary  line.  To  be  accurate,  it  is 
the  southern  part  only  of  this  large  territory  that 
forms  the  true  Italian  colony,  for  the  northern  parts 
consist  of  native  states  under  Italian  protection. 

The  little  town  of  Giumbo  is  beautifully  kept  and 
very  clean.  There  are  a  number  of  white  officials  and 
officers,  and  their  houses  are  built  on  European  lines. 
In  addition  to  a  very  nice  club,  where  every  one 
meets  daily  for  lunch  and  dinner,  there  is  a  wireless 
station,  by  means  of  which  the  inhabitants  are  kept 
in  touch  with  the  outside  world.  I  was  received  with 
the  utmost  cordiality  by  the  "  Residente,"  who 
willingly  gave  me  permission  to  send  my  headman 

47 


A  CORDIAL  RECEPTION 


into  the  interior  to  purchase  camels,  and  insisted 
on  my  riding  his  mule  when  I  returned  to  the  river, 
before  crossing  over  to  Gobwein.  In  addition,  he 
provided  me  with  soldiers  to  see  me  safely  down,  and 
they  formed  an  escort  which,  although  totally  un- 
necessary, was  highly  picturesque.  These  native 
soldiers  wore  white  cotton  shirts  and  loose  trousers 
with  crimson  belts,  and  long  cock's  feathers  in  their 
red  fez,  but  this  uniform  does  not  look  nearly  so 
smart  as  that  of  the  Jubaland  Camel  Corps.  The 
latter  wear  tunic  and  shirt  of  a  peculiar  shade  of 
khaki,  almost  a  warm  grey  in  colour,  blue  puttees, 
and  a  yellow  cap  with  peak  and  a  white  cloth  to 
protect  the  neck.  Over  this  uniform  the  smartly 
polished  brown  leather  accoutrements  look  particu- 
larly well.  In  war  time,  or  when  marching,  the 
tunic  is  replaced  by  a  blue  cotton  jersey,  which 
is  not  only  inconspicuous  but  is  highly  serviceable. 

Having  thus  successfully  accomplished  my 
purpose,  and  despatched  my  headman  in  search 
of  camels,  I  returned  to  Kismayu,  and  decided  to 
go  for  a  short  expedition  to  the  Dibayu  Plain  while 
awaiting  him.  I  therefore  hired  five  camels  from 
an  Arab,  and  having  selected  the  things  I  should 
need  for  a  few  days  in  the  bush,  was  ready  to  start 
on  the  morrow.  I  always  think  it  is  a  good  plan, 
previous  to  embarking  on  a  long  journey,  to  take  a 
little  trip  such  as  this.  It  enables  one  to  try  the 
men,  and,  if  necessary,  to  weed  out  the  undesirables 
before  it  is  too  late  ;  moreover  it  gives  them  a  chance 
to  know  your  ways,  which  may  save  friction  and 
unpleasantness  in  the  future. 


48 


CHAPTER  IV 


A  SHORT  EXPEDITION  ACROSS  THE 
DIBAYU  PLAINS 

There  was  but  little  life  in  the  streets  of  Kismayu 
as  I  mounted  my  mule  and  started  off.  I  had 
already  sent  ahead  the  five  camels  I  had  hired  from 
the  Arab  with  instructions  to  camp  at  a  rainpool  on 
the  other  side  of  the  sandhills,  and  with  them  had 
gone  the  few  porters  I  needed  for  collecting  wood  and 
pitching  my  tent.  So  it  was  but  a  small  cavalcade 
that  made  its  way  down  the  broad  sandy  street  that 
led  southwards  through  the  native  quarter.  I  caught 
now  and  again  a  glimpse  of  a  shadowy  form  sleeping 
in  the  cool  darkness  of  the  huts,  a  few  diminutive 
hens  were  moving  restlessly  about  in  search  of  food, 
and  occasionally  camels  would  be  seen,  solemnly 
chewing  the  cud  in  the  thin  shade  of  a  palm  tree. 
All  else  slept  or  was  at  rest,  for  the  hour  of  the 
siesta  was  not  yet  over. 

The  little  town  was  soon  left  behind,  and  we 
followed  a  narrow  trail  that  led  at  first  over  some 
rolling  sanddunes,  which  soon  gave  place  to  a  series 
of  sandy  hillocks  covered  with  dense  thorn  scrub. 
The  ground  gradually  rose  till  a  moderately  high 
ridge  was  reached,  from  which  an  extensive  view 
was  obtained  over  the  country  which  lay  to  the 
south-west.  It  seemed  to  be  a  vast  expanse  of 
green  scrub  stretching  away  to  the  horizon,  In 
d  49 


SCRUB  AND  CONIFERS 


striking  contrast  to  the  white  sand  and  arid  appear- 
ance of  the  dunes  through  which  we  had  been 
climbing.  A  very  noticeable  feature  on  these  hills 
was  a  large  number  of  conifers  (Juniperus  procera). 
This  tree,  which  is  common  in  many  parts  of  Somali- 
land,  Abyssinia  and  British  East  Africa,  under  normal 
conditions  is  of  a  pyramidal  shape,  but  here  on  the 
coast  of  Jubaland  it  is  flat-topped  and  table-like.  As 
may  be  seen  in  our  own  coasts  the  effect  of  wind  on 
the  growth  of  trees  and  shrubs  is  to  prevent  them 
from  growing  perpendicularly,  and  such  trees  as  the 
oak  and  hawthorn  and  even  the  elm  and  sycamore 
may  be  seen  stunted  and  flat-topped  from  this 
cause.1 

Slowly  we  made  our  way  down  into  the  plains, 
and  towards  sunset  we  came  upon  two  "worrta"  or 
rain-water  pools.  Two  Somali  were  filling  up  their 
leather  water-bottles  here,  and  loading  them  on  their 
camels,  while  their  little  boys  were  running  around 
playing  and  laughing.  It  formed  a  most  picturesque 
scene  in  the  fading  light,  when  both  colours  and 
outline  are  softened  by  the  afterglow.  A  little  farther 
on  I  found  my  own  camels  and  my  tent  pitched. 
The  following  morning  I  was  awakened  long  before 
dawn,  as  there  was  a  lengthy  march  to  be  accom- 
plished before  the  next  water  was  reached.  The 
headman  woke  me  punctually  at  3  a.m.,  and  as  usual, 
while  I  had  breakfast,  down  came  the  tent,  the  camels 
were  loaded  to  the  accompaniment  of  loud  snarling, 
and  we  were  soon  away.  I  could  not  see  what  the 
country  was  like  for  the  first  two  hours,  although 
the  bush  looked  very  dense  in  the  moonlight.  It 
was  already  oppressively  hot,  and  we  were  all  per- 

1  The  Field,  5,  vii.  13,  "  Juniperus  Procera." 

50 


YAK  TREES 


spiring  freely  before  the  sun  rose  behind  some 
threatening  storm  clouds  ;  these  gradually  dispersed, 
and  as  the  light  grew  brighter  we  emerged  into  a 
large  level  plain  covered  with  thin  scrub  and  a  few 
large  yak  trees.  These  trees  serve  an  extremely 
valuable  purpose,  for  often  in  their  thick,  stunted  stems 
large  cavities  are  to  be  found,  which  become  full  of 
water  during  the  rainy  season.  It  is  from  the  living 
wood  round  these  cavities  that  the  branches  spring. 
Native  hunters  nearly  always  carry  a  hollow  stick, 
approximately  two  feet  long  by  half  an  inch  in 
diameter,  by  means  of  which  they  can  suck  up  the 
water  from  these  holes,  the  opening  to  them  being 
often  too  narrow  to  allow  them  to  obtain  the  water 
in  any  other  way.  Whenever  they  see  a  number  of 
birds  collected  together  in  the  mornings  or  evenings 
on  one  of  these  trees,  experience  tells  them  that  water 
will  probably  be  found  there. 

I  noticed  that  on  many  of  the  larger  trees  queer 

marks  were  cut,  such  as  the  following  —  ID, 

and  on  questioning  the  guide  I  was  told  that  they 
were  cattle  brands  and  indicated  what  sub-tribes  or 
families  were  grazing  their  stock  in  that  locality.  A 
couple  of  hours  later  we  entered  another  belt  of  thick 
bush.  There  was  no  breath  of  wind,  and  the  heat 
was  extremely  oppressive,  so  that  we  were  all  glad 
to  emerge  about  an  hour  later  into  the  next  plain, 
where  there  was  a  slight  breeze.  This  district  is 
called  "  Dameir  Baktis "  (meaning  "a  donkey,  its 
corpse,"  i.e.  a  dead  donkey),  so  named  from  the  fact 
that  a  long  time  ago  a  small  herd  of  donkeys  was 
killed  by  lions  near  two  very  large  bushes  that  are 
still  a  distinctive  feature  on  these  plains.  It  struck 
me  as  curious  that  so  extensive  a  tract  should  be 

5i 


GAME 


named  from  such  a  trivial  occurrence.  For,  after  all, 
similar  events  are  by  no  means  uncommon  in  these 
unsettled  parts,  where  lions  are  a  constant  menace 
to  the  Somali  and  their  stock. 

Small  herds  of  game  were  grazing  on  the  coarse 
grass  that  covered  the  plains  ;  a  few  gerenuk  galloped 
away  at  our  approach,  their  long  necks  stretched  out 
in  a  futile  attempt  to  avoid  observation  as  they  made 
their  way  through  the  scattered  scrub.  A  small  band 
of  what  I  took  to  be  Peter's  gazelle,  and  a  solitary 
oryx  beisa  with  a  single  horn  gazed  for  a  moment  at 
the  oncoming  caravan,  and  then  they  too  fled  away 
and  were  soon  lost  to  sight  in  the  bush.  They  were 
astonishingly  shy,  but  I  was  still  close  to  the  coast, 
and  I  learned  later  that  the  Herti  Somali  were  fond  of 
hunting.  Not  long  after  we  were  joined  by  a  wild 
hunter  from  that  tribe.  He  was  neither  an  interesting 
nor  a  picturesque  figure ;  I  merely  mention  him 
because  of  the  very  curious  wooden  pillow  he  carried, 
of  which  I  shall  have  more  to  say  in  a  subsequent 
chapter ;  his  round  war  shield,  made  of  giraffe  hide, 
also  attracted  my  attention,  for  it  was  deeply  scarred 
in  many  places  in  an  unusual  way.  He  told  me  that 
the  shield  had  once  been  his  brother's  ;  but  the  latter 
had  been  killed  one  day  by  a  lion  while  out  hunting, 
and  the  scars  I  had  noticed  had  been  caused  by  the 
lion's  claws  in  the  struggle  that  took  place  before  his 
brother's  death.  I  was  able  to  persuade  him  to  let 
me  have  the  shield,  and  it  bears  eloquent  testimony 
to  the  desperate  struggle  that  had  been  fought  between 
those  strange  antagonists. 

Towards  noon  we  passed  through  another  narrow 
belt  of  bush,  but  emerged  again  shortly  into  Dibayu 
Plain.    Grass  was  more  abundant  here,  showing  that 

52 


A  CHARACTERISTIC  SCENE 


a  fairly  plentiful  supply  of  rain  had  fallen,  and  soon 
we  reached  two  shallow  pools,  around  which  a  small 
herd  of  native  cattle  were  resting  during  the  heat  of 
the  day,  huddled  together  in  the  scanty  shade  afforded 
by  a  few  low  camel-thorn  trees.  A  couple  of  hundred 
yards  away  was  a  group  of  Somali  huts  surrounded 
by  a  thorn  fence,  above  which  hovered  and  wheeled 
innumerable  vultures. 

I  camped  here,  and  spent  the  afternoon  in  taking 
photographs.  Towards  evening  I  was  visited  by  the 
headman  of  the  village,  who  brought  me  a  sheep  and 
some  milk.  He  carried  a  large  black  umbrella,  and 
no  weapons,  but  was  dressed  in  the  usual  white  "  Tobe," 
as  were  his  followers.  The  whole  scene  was  very 
characteristic  of  Jubaland,  and  typical  of  many  others 
that  I  was  to  see  later  on  my  journey  to  the  Lorian. 
It  reminded  me  very  vividly  of  passages  in  the  Old 
Testament ;  the  same  conditions  are  found  to-day  as 
prevailed  two  thousand  years  ago  by  the  shores  of  the 
Dead  Sea.  I  held  a  long  conversation  with  him 
through  my  interpreter,  but  unlike  most  Somali,  he 
was  stupid  and  unintelligent,  and  I  could  get  little 
information  from  him.  He  told  me,  however,  that 
his  village  was  about  to  move  south,  as  water  was 
getting  scarce  in  Dibayu.  Having  obtained  all  the 
news  I  could,  I  gave  him  a  small  present  and  then 
dismissed  him. 

The  following  morning  I  started  shortly  before 
dawn  in  a  south-easterly  direction  across  the  plains  ; 
occasionally  we  passed  through  thin  belts  of  bush,  but 
on  the  whole  the  scenery  was  very  monotonous,  the 
country  being  too  flat  and  overgrown  with  low 
scrub  to  afford  any  extensive  view.  Animal  life  was 
also  little  in  evidence,  but  while  on  the  march  I  was 

53 


A  USEFUL  TREE 


able  to  obtain  a  silver-backed  jackal  (Cams  mesomelas). 
These  beautiful  little  animals  are  among  the  most 
handsome  of  the  smaller  carnivora,  their  bright  rufous 
coat  showing  up  in  vivid  contrast  to  the  silver-coloured 
patch  along  the  back,  from  which  they  get  their  name. 
I  noticed,  among  other  small  birds,  a  species  of  horn- 
bill  (Lopkoceros  medianus)  whose  harsh  note  and 
curiously  uneven  flight,  continuously  dipping  and  then 
rising  again,  renders  it  very  conspicuous. 

Some  four  hours  later  we  reached  another  small 
Somali  "  boma "  or  village,  and  I  camped  near  a 
clump  of  "araru"  trees,  about  half  a  mile  farther 
on.  These  trees,  which  resemble  a  diminutive  baobab 
tree,  are  much  valued  by  the  natives,  as  by  peeling 
off  the  smooth  outer  bark  they  obtain  a  tough  and 
resilient  fibre,  from  which  the  women  make  many 
useful  household  utensils.  The  camel  mats,  which 
serve  also  as  a  covering  for  their  huts,  are  skilfully 
woven  of  grass,  and  tied  together  with  this  fibre, 
which  renders  them  extremely  durable.  While  waiting 
for  the  camels  I  strolled  down  to  the  water-hole, 
which  lay  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  to  see  what  it 
was  like.  The  bush  was  very  dense  all  round,  but 
situated  in  a  little  clearing  were  five  shallow  depres- 
sions or  pans,  averaging  15  yards  broad  by  30  yards 
long,  filled  with  rain-water  to  a  depth  of  about 
6  inches.  The  water  was  grey-brown,  covered  with 
patches  of  green  slime,  and  was  much  soiled  with 
the  dung  of  cattle  and  goats.  The  pools  had  evidently 
been  far  larger,  but  they  were  fast  drying  up,  and 
the  Somali  were  already  moving  to  "  pastures  new." 
I  took  the  temperature  of  the  water  in  the  largest 
pan,  and  my  thermometer  showed  84*5°  in  the  deepest 
parts  and  slightly  more  at  the  edge. 

54 


A  SOMALI  FAMILY 


Whilst  I  was  taking  some  theodolite  observations 
here,  a  typical  Somali  family  passed  on  their  way  to 
a  new  camp.  First  came  the  father,  accompanied  by 
a  little  girl  about  twelve  years  old,  driving  some  fifty 
head  of  cattle  and  half  a  dozen  donkeys.  The  man 
was  fully  armed  with  spear,  shield  and  knife,  and 
carried  in  addition  a  small  gourd  of  water,  his  wooden 
pillow  and  a  tooth  stick.  Having  allowed  the  animals 
to  drink  they  passed  on,  and  were  shortly  followed  by 
a  woman,  presumably  his  wife,  leading  a  large  camel. 
On  it  were  the  fibre  and  grass  mats,  called  14  Herios," 
the  curved  posts  of  their  hut,  several  water-bottles 
made  of  gourds  or  wood  and  hung  in  wicker  baskets, 
and  various  other  household  goods.  The  woman 
stopped  to  have  a  drink,  and  was  joined  by  a  very  old 
man,  probably  her  father,  and  two  tiny  children  ;  she 
made  the  latter  drink  by  dipping  her  two  hands  in 
the  water,  thus  improvising  a  cup,  and  when  they 
had  all  satisfied  their  thirst,  they  too  passed  on,  and 
were  soon  swallowed  up  in  the  thick  bush. 

While  working  near  camp  in  the  evening  I  shot 
another  silver-backed  jackal,  a  female,  and  so  secured 
a  pair  from  this  district.  There  were  also  many 
vulturine  guinea-fowls  about,  of  which  I  shot  two. 
This  exceedingly  handsome  game-bird  is  very 
common  throughout  southern  Jubaland,  and  later  on 
in  the  interior,  where  all  other  food  is  extremely 
scarce,  it  formed  the  "piece  de  resistance"  of  my 
daily  menu. 

My  next  move  was  eastwards  towards  the  sand- 
hills which  separate  Dibayu  Plain  from  the  sea.  In 
the  early  dawn  there  was  the  usual  bustle  and 
confusion  on  striking  camp,  while  the  tents  came 
down  and  the  loads  were  made  up,  but  in  this  case  it 

55 


A  CHARMING  SCENE 


was  intensified  owing  to  the  objections  of  one  of  the 
camels  to  being  loaded.    There  was  consequently 
much  excitement  among  the  syces;  everyone,  includ- 
ing most  of  the  Somali  from  the  village,  was  giving 
advice  and  generally  getting  in  one  another's  way, 
while  the  camel  snarled  and  gurgled,  making  the  most 
hideous  din.    Before  his  load  was  finally  adjusted, 
he  managed  to  smash  one  bucket  and  several  minor 
articles  of  less  importance.    All  this   delayed  the 
start  till  5.30,  but  as  there  was  only  a  short  march  to 
be  accomplished,  it  was  of  no  great  consequence. 
The  whole  caravan  straggled  through  the  bush  along 
a  narrow  sandy  trail  that  wound  its  tortuous  way 
through  the  acacias,  mimosas  and  scrub  that  covered 
the  hillside.    Only  once  did  we  come  to  a  clearing, 
a  beautiful  little  meadow  with  green  grass,  starred 
with  wild  flowers  and  shaded  by  three  huge  yak 
trees.    In  the  centre  nestled  a  tiny  rainpool,  as  yet 
unsoiled,  with  a  ring  of  clean  white  sand  between  it 
and  the  vivid  green  of  the  grass.    There  were  many 
brightly  coloured  birds   and  many  curious  tracks, 
those  of  giant  lizards  and  rats,  whose  broad  tails  had 
left  a  smooth  line  between  their  footprints,  and  all 
around  and  about  signs  and  tracks  of  dik-dik  and 
guinea-fowl.    Two  hours  later  the  crest  was  reached, 
and  here  I  pitched  camp  in  the  shade  of  some  huge 
acacia  trees.    Only  water  was  lacking,  but  it  was  a 
lovely,  picturesque  spot,  and  the  north-east  monsoon 
tempered  the  heat  which  had  been  so  trying  on  the 
plains.    Two  days  were  spent  here  in  shooting  and 
working,  and  I  was  able  to  add  to  my  collection, 
among   other   animals,    three   dik-dik   and  fifteen 
species  of  birds.    The  dik-dik,  of  which  I  shall  have 
more  to  say  in  a  subsequent  chapter,  are  found  in 

56 


A  FINE  LEOPARD 

this  district  in  the  most  extraordinary  numbers,  but 
owing  to  the  thickness  of  the  undergrowth  they 
are  hard  to  see.  While  creeping  very  slowly  and 
cautiously  through  the  bush  in  search  of  them  I 
suddenly  came  across  a  fine  leopard  ;  as  he  rose,  I 
fired  two  shots  at  him  with  my  shot-gun,  very 
unwisely,  but  I  had  no  other  weapon ;  for  a  second 
I  thought  he  would  charge,  but  he  changed  his  mind, 
and  with  a  low  snarl  turned  and  vanished  into  the 
bush  before  I  could  reload.  Although  I  followed 
the  blood  spoor  some  distance,  I  never  found  him, 
much  to  my  disappointment,  and  though  later  I  often 
came  across  fresh  leopard  spoor  I  never  saw  another. 
They  are,  as  anyone  who  has  hunted  them  knows, 
very  hard  to  bag,  and  in  Jubaland  this  is  especially 
the  case,  owing  to  the  dense  undergrowth.  They 
appear  to  feed  mainly  on  dik-dik  and  gerenuk,  which 
are  very  numerous  everywhere.  In  rare  cases,  when 
pressed  by  hunger,  they  may  attack  larger  game,  and 
in  one  instance  I  found  a  young  giraffe  killed  by 
leopards  after  a  desperate  struggle. 

All  through  the  march  from  this  camp  down  to 
the  sea,  near  Gondal,  the  half-sneeze,  half-whistle  of 
a  frightened  dik-dik  was  constantly  heard,  and  I  saw 
quite  a  number  in  spite  of  the  thickness  of  the  bush. 
Down  by  the  seashore  also  I  saw  some  cranes  and 
several  pelicans,  but  they  were  out  of  range  and  very 
wild,  so  that  I  was  unable  to  obtain  a  specimen. 

Gondal  is  a  small  fiat  promontory,  T-shaped,  that 
forms  the  southern  extremity  of  Kismayu  Bay. 
Within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  inland  from  its  base  are 
some  very  remarkable  ruins.  They  consist  of  the 
remains  of  two  buildings  and  a  shrine;  the  accompany- 
ing photograph  shows  what  is  left  of  the  latter.  They 

57 


REMARKABLE  RUINS 


are  built  of  coral  rock  ;  the  walls  are  nearly  3  feet 
thick,  and  about  30  feet  long.  There  is  a  door- 
way in  one  of  the  houses,  flanked  by  pillars,  and  this, 
as  well  as  the  opening  of  the  shrine,  faces  south.  The 
latter  is  a  most  curious  ruin,  and  is  covered  with  a 
simple  type  of  carving  cut  into  the  coral  rock  to  a 
depth  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  The  entrance, 
which  is  about  4  feet  high,  is  arched,  and  at  the  top 
the  stone  has  been  cut  into  the  shape  of  an  inverted 
heart,  while  the  walls  on  both  sides  are  covered 
with  carving.1  The  interior  is  smooth,  apparently 
plastered  over,  but  the  floor  has  crumbled  away.  To 
the  north  of  the  houses  I  found  a  quantity  of  broken 
but  highly  glazed  pottery  of  a  kind  that  is  quite 
unlike  any  manufactured  by  the  natives  to-day ; 
especially  interesting  were  some  pieces  of  china,  the 
bottom  of  a  stone  ewer  and  a  piece  of  glass  that 
would  appear  to  have  been  the  neck  of  a  bottle  or 
flask.  These  ruins  are  so  buried  in  the  dense  bush 
that  it  would  be  easy  to  pass  close  by  without  seeing 
them.  I  learned  from  Captain  Salkeld  and  Dr. 
Wilson  that  there  are  remains  of  a  similar  nature 
on  the  Bajun  Islands  farther  south,  and  the  latter 
was  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  several  unbroken 
specimens  of  what  seemed  to  be  oil  lamps,  unmistak- 
ably Persian  in  design.  Repeated  inquiries  elicited 
no  information  from  the  Somali  as  regards  the  origin 
of  these  ruins ;  they  said  that  they  were  in  the  same 
condition  when  they  entered  the  country  ;  the  Galla 
seemed  to  know  no  more.  Captain  Stigand,  in  his 
book,  The  Land  of  Zinj,  has  given  some  very 
interesting    information    concerning    the    ruins  he 

1  Similar  ornamentation  occurs  above  the  doorway  of  the  old  Persian 
monastery  of  Lamu. 

58 


PERSIAN  RUINS 

discovered  farther  south,  near  Lamu,  but  at  present 
the  origin  of  these  traces  of  the  early  occupation  of 
the  Jubaland  coast  remains  very  obscure. 

The  cool  wind  from  the  north-east  made  Gondal 
a  very  pleasant  place  to  camp  in ;  bathing  was 
delightful  in  the  evening  and  early  morning,  and  it 
was  with  regret  that  I  turned  north  along  the  coast 
towards  Kismayu,  whose  white  buildings  could  be 
seen  across  the  bay  nestling  among  the  sanddunes. 


59 


CHAPTER  V 


FINAL  PREPARATIONS  AND  START  FROM 
KISMAYU 

On  arriving  at  Kismayu  I  was  again  very  hospitably 
entertained,  this  time  by  Captain  Salkeld,  the  Pro- 
vincial Commissioner,  who  had  just  returned  from 
Mombasa,  where  he  had  been  on  official  business ; 
and  for  the  following  days  before  I  left  on  my  long 
journey  inland  I  was  his  guest.  Much  remained  to 
be  done  before  I  could  depart ;  my  provision  and 
trade  goods  had  been  purchased  already,  but  I  had 
to  choose  my  men,  get  their  clothes  and  outfits,  collect 
the  pack-saddles,  ropes,  girths  and  mats  for  the 
camels,  and  finally  to  inspect  tents,  water-bottles  and 
water-tanks,  rifles,  ammunition  and  all  the  innumer- 
able details  upon  which  not  only  the  success  but  even 
the  safety  of  an  expedition  depends.  The  selection 
of  a  suitable  variety  of  trade  goods  is  of  the  utmost 
importance,  and  in  this  my  headman  was  invaluable, 
being  himself  a  Mohammed  Zubheir  Somali  born  in 
the  interior  of  Jubaland.  I  shall  refer  in  Appendix  C 
to  the  various  articles  which  I  found  most  useful, 
but  I  should  like  to  emphasise  the  fact  that  it  is 
the  worst  possible  policy  to  stint  oneself  as  regards 
presents  for  natives.  However  distasteful  it  may  be 
to  spend  money  in  this  direction  it  is  absolutely 
essential  to  give  somewhat  lavishly  (as  it  may  appear 
at  first),  for  it  not  only  keeps  the  natives  in  a  con- 

60 


PACK-SADDLES 


tented  frame  of  mind,  but  it  makes  them  anxious  to 
help  in  the  hope  of  further  favours ;  moreover,  it 
distracts  their  attention  from  your  real  object,  and 
in  this  way  much  can  be  accomplished  that  would 
otherwise  be  impossible.  At  the  same  time  the 
presents  must  be  given  judiciously  in  proportion  to 
the  social  importance  of  the  recipient ;  otherwise 
jealousy  and  ill-feeling  will  be  aroused,  which  is  very 
hard  to  overcome. 

The  pack-saddles  I  used  were  made  for  me  by 
Arabs  at  Kismayu.  They  consist  of  two  V-shaped 
pieces  of  wood,  connected  by  transverse  bars.  The 
former  are  made  from  a  single  branch  of  a  tree,  and 
are  well  dried  and  seasoned.  In  choosing  a  saddle 
great  care  has  to  be  taken  to  see  that  the  V  is  not 
too  broad ;  for,  if  it  is,  the  saddle  comes  too  far 
down  on  the  back  of  the  camel  and  soon  causes  a 
nasty  sore.  The  inside  of  this  primitive  saddle  is 
padded  by  means  of  two  small  gunny  sacks  tightly 
packed  with  grass  or  dry  seaweed  ;  and  to  the  near 
side  of  the  saddle  is  attached  a  long  and  thin  girth, 
made  of  fibre  or  plaited  rope  -  strands.  This  is 
tightened  by  means  of  a  small  cord  running  through 
a  noose  at  the  end  of  the  girth  on  the  offside  of 
the  camel.  There  are  two  mats  to  be  added  above 
the  saddle  before  the  load  can  be  tied  on.  One, 
consisting  of  a  large  sack  about  4  feet  square  and 
filled  with  seaweed,  is  placed  over  the  hump  behind 
the  saddle  and  tied  tightly  to  the  latter,  while  the 
other,  which  is  merely  a  long  strip  of  matting,  hangs 
down  on  either  side  of  the  camel  to  prevent  loads  from 
chafing  the  animal's  body.  Two  stout  poles  must 
be  provided,  to  which  are  attached  30  feet  of  grass 
rope  for  tying  on  the  loads  ;  the  latter,  divided  into 

61 


EXPORT  AND  IMPORT  DUTIES 


two  approximately  equal  packs,  are  each  securely  tied, 
and  then  in  turn  are  lashed  together  on  the  camel's 
back  just  above  the  saddle  tree.  It  will  be  easily 
seen,  therefore,  that  to  get  the  whole  outfit  together 
requires  time,  and  I  spared  no  pains  to  see  that 
everything  was  as  good  as  possible,  in  order  that 
I  might  keep  my  camels  in  good  condition,  for  only 
thus  can  the  maximum  amount  of  work  be  obtained 
from  them. 

When  all  my  preparations  were  nearly  completed, 
I  heard  from  my  headman  that  my  camels  were 
waiting  for  me  at  Giumbo ;  so  I  rode  over  to 
Gobwein  on  one  of  the  riding  camels  that  Mr. 
Dundas  had  very  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal. 
It  took  me  a  day  to  complete  the  custom  formalities, 
for  there  is  an  export  duty  of  Rs.  7.50  on  each  animal 
from  Italian  Somaliland,  and  an  import  duty  of  10 
per  cent,  ad  valorem  into  Jubaland.  For  mules  the 
tariff  is  even  higher,  the  export  duty  in  their  case 
being  Rs.  35.  I  am  unable  to  understand  why  the 
British  authorities  should  levy  custom  duties  on 
cattle  and  camels  brought  into  their  territory.  The 
demand  for  them,  especially  for  any  kind  of  beast 
of  burden,  is  far  greater  than  the  supply,  and  there- 
fore it  would  seem  only  sensible  to  encourage 
importers  of  such  animals.  So  great  is  the  difficulty 
of  obtaining  camels  that  both  the  military  and  civil 
authorities  are  obliged  to  hire  them  from  the  Arabs 
and  Somali  at  the  ruinous  charge  of  Rs.  1  per  diem, 
and  are  liable  to  pay  Rs.  75  in  case  of  death,  besides 
the  amount  incurred  for  work  done  previously.  The 
native  traders  therefore  calculate  that  within  a  month 
of  coming  down  to  the  coast  they  can  earn  the 
original  cost  of  the  camel,  and  every  day's  work 

62 


CROSSING  THE  JUBA  RIVER 


after  is  clear  profit ;  for  they  send  their  camels  out 
to  graze  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  their  keep 
therefore  costs  nothing. 

Getting  the  camels  across  the  Juba  River  was 
a  slow  and  tedious  proceeding.  Early  in  the 
morning  they  were  collected  close  to  the  shore  on 
the  Italian  side  in  charge  of  my  head  camel  syce, 
a  handsome  Herti  Somali  of  about  thirty-five  years 
of  age,  Farar  Ali  by  name,  whom  I  had  engaged 
the  day  before.  He  had  served  as  orderly  and  inter- 
preter to  an  officer  in  the  K.A.R.  some  years  before, 
and  his  frank  cheerful  countenance  impressed  me 
very  favourably.  Nor  was  my  first  estimate  of  his 
character  falsified  by  subsequent  events,  for  he 
proved  invaluable,  faithful,  obliging  and  hard- 
working, and  a  better  companion  in  the  bush  it 
would  be  impossible  to  find.  Sixteen  natives 
manned  a  large  flat-bottomed  boat,  and  the  camels 
were  led  two  by  two  to  the  water's  edge,  not  without 
difficulty  ;  for  no  animal  is  more  helpless  in  the  mud 
than  they,  and  many  times  I  thought  they  would 
slip  and  break  a  leg.  Once  there,  they  were  made 
to  lie  down  ;  a  noose  was  slipped  over  their  lower 
jaw  and  they  were  dragged  over  the  mud,  powerless 
to  resist,  to  the  side  of  the  boat ;  the  crazy  old  barge 
was  then  poled  out  into  the  river,  three  men  holding 
the  camels'  heads  above  water.  Once  they  had 
reached  the  other  side,  the  animals  struggled  out 
with  much  splashing  and  gurgling ;  they  were  then 
untied,  when  they  at  once  rolled  in  the  clean  sand, 
and  kneeling  down  patiently  awaited  the  coming 
of  the  others.  Only  two  camels  were  brought  over 
at  a  time,  so  it  took  seven  trips  to  complete  the 
passage  of  my  fourteen  animals,  and  it  was  not  till 

63 


CHOOSING  THE  SYCES 


nearly  sunset  that  they  were  all  safely  across.  They 
were  then  led  away  to  feed  slowly  through  the  night 
under  the  supervision  of  Farar  Ali,  and  arrived  at 
Kismayu  early  the  following  day. 

I  had  in  the  meantime  engaged  six  more  syces. 
I  took  care  to  select  those  who  had  had  but  little  ex- 
perience of  civilisation  and  were  thus  unspoiled,  and  I 
was  much  helped  by  my  headman,  who  was  a  wonder- 
ful judge  of  character.  They  were  each  provided 
with  a  crimson  shirt,  so  that  in  case  of  a  night  attack 
in  the  interior  it  would  be  possible  to  quickly  distin- 
guish friend  from  foe ;  and  in  addition  they  were 
given  a  pair  of  shorts,  sandals  and  a  blanket. 

I  also  purchased  four  more  camels  from 
Mohammed  Aden,  chief  of  the  Herti  Somali.  He 
receives  a  monthly  salary  of  Rs.  75  from  the  Govern- 
ment, in  return  for  which  he  is  supposed  to  help  the 
officials  in  every  way.  The  Herti  have  now  realised 
the  value  of  trade,  and,  though  despising  in  their 
hearts  the  "  Ferinji "  (the  white  man,  literally,  "the 
proud  one  "),  are  quite  willing  to  submit  to  his  rule 
in  order  to  obtain  the  benefits  which  this  submis- 
sion gains  for  them.  But  a  more  contemptible  old 
scoundrel  than  Mohammed  Aden  it  has  seldom  been 
my  lot  to  encounter.  Not  only  does  he  impose  on 
the  good-nature  of  the  officials,  but  he  is  suspected, 
on  one  occasion  at  least,  of  plotting  the  murder  of  a 
white  man  when  camping  in  the  interior,  by  sending 
to  the  native  chiefs  of  the  districts  inland  letters 
calculated  to  arouse  all  their  worst  passions  against 
the  perfectly  innocent  and  friendly  traveller.  The 
paramount  chief  of  the  Herti  is  really  Mohammed 
Shirwa,  a  handsome  boy  of  some  eighteen  years  of 
age,  and  Mohammed  Aden  is  only  acting  as  regent 

64 


THE  START 


until  the  former  is  ready  to  take  the  affairs  of  the 
tribe  into  his  own  hands. 

Everything  was  ready  for  my  departure,  when  I 
was  suddenly  taken  ill  with  dysentery.  Lately  I  had 
been  feeling  far  from  well,  and  now  I  had  to  give  in 
altogether,  though  the  delay  was  terribly  exasperat- 
ing. Six  days  later  I  was  sufficiently  well  to  get  up, 
and,  weak  though  I  was,  I  decided,  perhaps  unwisely, 
to  start  two  days  afterwards.  My  caravan  consisted 
of  my  headman  Dahir  Omar,  my  interpreter  Hassan 
Mohammed,  my  gun-bearer,  skinner,  syce,  a  personal 
boy  whom  I  had  had  on  a  previous  expedition,  a  S  wahili 
cook,  seven  camel  syces,  six  porters  from  Mombasa, 
four  Somali  police  or  Askaris,  and  a  Herti  guide  who 
was  to  accompany  me  as  far  as  the  district  of  Joreh. 
I  had  eighteen  camels,  of  which  five  were  used  solely 
for  carrying  the  ten  water-tanks  so  essential  to  the 
traveller  in  Jubaland.  The  Government's  travelling 
allowance  for  its  officials  is  twenty-five  camels,  so 
it  will  be  seen  that  I  had  cut  my  loads  down  to  a 
minimum.  My  own  personal  equipment,  tent,  bed- 
ding, instruments,  guns,  collecting  boxes,  and  stores 
for  four  months,  weighed  nine  hundred  pounds,  or 
three  camel  loads,  while  the  other  ten  camels  carried 
the  men's  tents,  cooking-pots,  rice  and  trade  goods. 
On  the  day  I  started  I  sent  the  caravan  on  ahead 
with  instructions  to  pitch  camp  in  the  plains  beyond 
the  sandhills,  and  I  set  out  myself  late  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day. 

At  first  the  trail  led  across  the  hills  behind 
Kismayu,  winding  in  and  out  among  the  giant  um- 
brella trees,  until  the  crest  was  reached.  Turning 
back,  I  gazed  for  some  time  upon  the  beautiful  scene 
that  lay  below,  at  Kismayu  and  at  the  ocean  beyond, 
e  65 


A  CAMP  SCENE 

for  it  would  be  many  months  before  I  should  again 
see  any  town  or  even  a  village.  I  then  descended 
into  the  plains  that  lay  to  the  west.  In  the  midst  of 
the  thick  bush  on  the  lower  slopes  were  several  large 
yak  trees,  in  one  of  which  was  a  natural  cavity 
containing  some  fifty  gallons  of  rain-water.  For 
two  hours  we  made  our  way  through  the  scrub  until 
at  last,  when  the  sun  was  sinking,  we  emerged  into  a 
little  open  plain  where  my  camp  was  pitched.  My 
own  tent  was  in  the  centre,  with  the  porters'  little 
white  tents  behind,  while  all  round  the  camp  the 
headman  had  built  a  three-foot  thorn  hedge  ;  inside 
were  my  eighteen  camels  with  all  the  loads,  saddles, 
etc.,  piled  near  by,  while  an  Askari  kept  guard  over 
the  only  entrance.  It  was  typical  of  many  a  camp 
scene  I  was  to  see  daily  throughout  my  journey,  and 
I  was  filled  with  joy  at  the  thought  that  a  start  had 
been  made  at  last.  As  I  rode  into  the  boma  the 
piled  rifles  and  the  bandoliered  men  were  a  grim  re- 
minder to  me  of  the  condition  of  the  country  I  was 
going  to  traverse  ;  but  they  were  really  a  precaution 
and  an  emblem  of  authority  more  than  anything  else, 
for  in  case  of  a  serious  attack  four  police  and  seven 
armed  but  undisciplined  syces  would  be  of  little 
avail. 

Early  the  following  morning,  after  a  night  marred 
by  the  attentions  of  countless  mosquitoes,  I  set  out 
towards  the  north,  intending  to  see  if  I  could  obtain 
a  specimen  of  the  Grant's  gazelle  which  I  knew  to  be 
fairly  plentiful  in  this  district.  I  had  hardly  gone  a 
mile  when  I  saw  in  the  distance  a  cloud  of  dust, 
which,  as  I  soon  made  out,  was  caused  by  some  of 
these  animals,  which  were  running  round  in  the 
bush,  presumably  in  play.  I  hastily  took  my  rifle  and 

66 


GRANT'S  GAZELLE 


set  out  after  them.  The  wind  was  right,  and  there 
was  plenty  of  cover,  so  I  was  soon  fairly  close  to  them. 
As  they  were  now  feeding  quietly  towards  me, 
totally  unconscious  of  my  presence,  I  lay  down  to 
wait  for  them,  and  in  about  twenty  minutes  a  fine 
buck  came  out  from  behind  a  bush  about  a  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  off.  I  fired,  hitting  him  a  trifle  behind 
the  heart.  At  the  shot  four  more  appeared,  and  all 
five  made  a  tremendous  dash  towards  me,  but, 
suddenly  catching  sight  of  my  mule  and  followers  in 
the  distance,  halted  and  turned  wTithin  fifteen  yards 
of  where  I  lay  behind  the  bush.  I  had  a  glimpse  of 
these  beautiful  gazelles,  their  graceful  heads  and 
slender  horns,  before  firing  again.  The  buck 
collapsed  to  the  shot,  the  bullet  entering  just  above 
the  tail  and  lodoanor  under  the  skin  of  the  chest.  On 
examining  it  I  was  immensely  pleased  to  notice  that 
it  was  a  variety  of  Grant's  gazelle  that  was  entirely 
new  to  me.  Although  in  bodily  size  and  horn- 
measurement  it  resembled  a  Peter's  gazelle,  yet  in 
colour  it  was  more  closely  akin  to  Bright's  gazelle. 
In  a  subsequent  chapter  I  propose  to  deal  more 
fully  with  these  differences,  and  to  describe  in  detail 
the  characteristics  of  what  is  undoubtedly  a  distinct 
race  of  Grant's  gazelle. 

I  did  not  go  out  again  till  the  afternoon,  when  I 
made  my  way  slowly  on  foot  through  the  most 
atrociously  thick  bush  and  thorn-scrub  to  the  top  of 
Eyladera,  the  low  ridge  that  runs  north-east  and  south- 
west between  Gobwein  and  Yonti,  in  order  to  do 
some  geographical  work.  In  spite  of  the  heat  and 
thorns,  I  was  very  glad  I  came,  for  when  I  reached 
the  summit  the  view  well  repaid  me  for  my  trouble. 
To  the  north  and  the  east  the  Juba  River,  fringed  with 

67 


A  MONOTONOUS  SCENE 


a  broad  green  belt  of  vegetation,  twisted  and  writhed 
across  the  plain  like  some  monstrous  snake,  till  I  lost 
sight  of  it  beyond  Yonti.  Southwards,  the  low  red 
sandhills  near  the  coast  gave  a  warm  note  of  colour 
to  the  landscape,  but  it  was  towards  the  west  that  I 
looked  longest,  for  there  lay  my  way.  Three 
hundred  feet  below,  the  plain  began  and  stretched 
away,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  absolutely  flat 
without  ridge  or  hollow,  and  without  one  single  object 
to  break  the  monotony  of  the  scene.  Even  the  brilliant 
sunlight  was  unable  to  relieve  the  utter  dreariness 
of  that  great  expanse  of  desert  scrub.  But  it  was 
unknown,  a  blank  on  every  map,  and  I  was  filled 
with  joy  to  think  that  it  was  to  be  my  home  for 
weeks,  perhaps  months,  and  that  day  by  day  it 
would  reveal  to  me  its  secrets,  from  which,  as  they 
were  unravelled,  I  hoped  my  map  would  grow.  And 
then  my  thoughts  turned  to  people  who  live  amid 
the  bush,  the  people  I  should  meet,  who  make  it 
their  home  during  the  rains — nomads,  dwellers  in 
tents,  living  the  same  life  now  as  in  the  days  of  the 
Old  Testament,  tending  their  flocks  in  endless  search 
of  water  and  pasture,  moving  with  the  seasons,  rest- 
less and  warlike. 

The  following  day  I  was  able  to  obtain  another 
silver-backed  jackal,  which  completed  my  series  of 
them  from  the  Kismayu  district.  Later,  close  to 
camp,  I  saw  three  gerenuk,  one  of  which  had  good 
horns.  It  took  me,  however,  quite  a  long  time  to 
get  within  range,  as  they  were  feeding  away  from  me, 
but  finally,  as  I  was  crawling  round  a  bush,  the  buck 
grew  suspicious  and  turned  round,  giving  me  rather 
a  difficult  shot  at  about  200  yards.  Greatly  to  my 
delight  I  heard  the  bullet  clap  loudly,  the  poor  brute 


A  CIVET  CAT 


gave  a  convulsive  leap  forward  and  then  fell  quite 
dead.  Although  fully  adult,  he  was  distinctly  small  in 
bodily  size,  and  compared  very  unfavourably  in  that 
respect  with  others  I  had  shot  in  the  highlands  of 
East  Africa.  I  was  to  learn  later  that  this  decrease 
in  size  is  apparent  in  all  the  common  specimens  of 
the  game  I  shot  in  Jubaland.  It  would  seem  prob- 
able that  the  poor  grazing  and  the  hard  physical 
conditions  of  the  country  which  they  inhabit  are  the 
causes  of  this.  I  spent  several  days  in  this  district 
hunting  and  working,  but  saw  little  game  except  a 
few  dik-dik  and  some  small  birds,  of  which  I  shot 
several  for  my  collection. 

The  night  previous  to  my  departure  from  this 
camp  was  not  without  incident.  I  turned  in  about 
8.30,  and  was  fast  asleep  when,  at  ten  o'clock,  my 
boy,  Juma,  came  in  and  woke  me,  saying  that,  "  There 
was  a  little  thing  outside  to  shoot."  So,  hastily 
putting  on  a  pair  of  boots,  I  crept  out  with  my  shot- 
gun, and  sure  enough  I  saw  some  small  animal  in 
the  moonlight  just  outside  the  boma.  It  heard  me 
coming,  but  as  it  turned  to  run  I  fired  and  killed  it, 
a  clear  proof  of  how  bright  the  moon  was.  The 
camp  was  instantly  in  a  hubbub,  as  every  one  woke 
at  the  shot  and  came  running  out  with  their  rifles. 
It  was  exceedingly  amusing  to  watch  them  before 
they  realised  what  had  happened.  The  midnight 
visitor  turned  out  to  be  an  exceedingly  pretty  little 
animal  with  small,  pointed  grey  head  and  beady  eyes, 
a  grey  body  with  rich  brown  spots  on  it,  and  a  ringed 
black  and  grey  tail,  while  all  down  the  back  was  a 
crest  of  long  black  hairs.  It  appears  to  be  a  civet 
cat  (  Viverra  civet  to). 

After  it  had  been  carefully  put  away  I  returned 

69 


THE  EYLAD  BUSH 


to  bed,  but  it  seemed  scarcely  a  few  moments  later 
when  I  was  again  awakened,  and  I  could  already  see 
the  loads  being  done  up  and  the  camels  being 
saddled.  We  finally  started,  shortly  after  three 
o'clock,  and  marched  across  a  perfectly  flat  and  dusty 
plain,  which  in  the  rainy  season  must,  I  should 
imagine,  become  somewhat  swampy,  until  at  noon  we 
reached  the  edge  of  what  the  guide  told  me  was  the 
Eylad  bush.  The  Eylad  water-hole  was  still  twelve 
miles  on,  but  as  I  did  not  yet  wish  to  over-exert 
myself  by  taking  long  marches  in  my  present  weak 
condition,  I  decided  to  camp  here  and  proceed  the 
following  morning.  It  had  been  very  hot  and  muggy 
all  day,  and  at  2.45  there  was  a  heavy  storm  to  the 
west,  great  black  clouds  and  obvious  rain,  which 
cleared  off  about  four,  when  the  air  cooled  somewhat. 
I  did  not  go  out  again  in  the  afternoon,  as  I  knew  I 
should  not  see  any  game,  this  part  of  the  country 
being  too  hopelessly  arid  even  for  such  desert  dwellers 
as  the  gerenuk  and  Grant's  gazelle. 


70 


CHAPTER  VI 


A  CHAPTER  OF  ACCIDENTS 

I  left  Dol,  by  which  name  my  last  camp  was  known, 
just  before  5  a.m.,  and  in  an  hour's  time,  as  the  sun 
was  rising  above  Eyladera,  we  left  the  plain  and 
entered  the  real  bush.  In  all  my  life  I  have  never 
seen  such  a  tangle,  such  thick,  clinging,  thorny  scrub, 
twelve  feet  high,  leafless,  grey  and  dead-looking. 
Fortunately  there  was  a  native  trail  running  due 
west  to  Eylad  (white  well),  and  this  we  followed  for 
two  and  a  half  hours,  before  emerging  into  a  delightful 
little  meadow  of  ten  or  twelve  acres,  with  thick  green 
grass  and  two  large  circular  depressions  in  the  centre 
full  of  rain-water.  I  later  discovered,  by  careful  ob- 
servation, that  the  ground  for  miles  around  slopes 
very  gradually,  and,  to  the  casual  observer,  imper- 
ceptibly, down  to  these  pools,  which,  when  full,  contain 
sufficient  water  for  four  hundred  cattle  for  at  least 
three  months.  As  I  rode  out  into  this  delightful 
spot,  I  saw  a  large  number  of  guinea-fowl  feeding, 
and  a  dik-dik  disappearing  into  the  bush.  I  fired 
and  got  a  guinea-fowl,  and  a  second  as  they  rose, 
and,  hastily  reloading,  I  shot  a  francolin  as  it  came 
flying  directly  overhead.  These  two  game  birds 
are  common  throughout  Jubaland,  and  are  both 
exceedingly  handsome  specimens. 

In  the  francolin  (Pternistes  infuscatus)  the  head 
and  upper  part  of  the  neck  are  devoid  of  feathers. 

7i 


ELEPHANTS'  SPOOR 


The  bare  skin  of  the  face  and  throat  is  a  brilliant 
red,  abruptly  changing  to  yellow  on  the  neck.  This 
colouring  in  life  is  very  striking  and  beautiful,  but 
in  the  dry  skin  it  fades  into  a  uniform  dull  brown, 
and  gives  no  idea  of  the  gradation  of  the  rich  crimson 
of  the  upper  portion  into  the  clear  lemon-yellow  of 
the  lower  parts  of  the  neck.  Neither  of  these  birds 
affords  really  good  sport,  as  they  trust  for  escape 
rather  to  their  legs  than  to  their  wings.  When 
flushed  they  rise  with  a  tremendous  whirr,  flying 
away  in  a  straight  course,  and  their  large  size  and 
steady  flight  make  them  an  easy  mark.  The  harsh 
chattering  cry  of  the  francolin  is  most  characteristic 
and  cannot  be  mistaken,  and  it  soon  becomes  one  of 
the  most  familiar  sounds  to  the  traveller  in  Jubaland. 

In  the  afternoon,  while  investigating  the  country 
in  the  vicinity  of  my  camp,  I  killed  several  more 
guinea-fowl,  of  which  I  lost  three,  owing  to  the 
thickness  of  the  bush,  which  prevented  our  finding 
them.  I  also  noticed  some  elephants'  spoor,  but 
none  of  it  was  fresh,  and  they  appeared  to  have 
left  the  district,  trekking  westwards.  I  now  proposed 
to  march  due  west,  in  which  direction  lay  the  Guran- 
lagga,  according  to  existing  maps,  but  my  guide 
insisted  on  going  north-west,  as  he  said  that  the 
bush  was  so  dense  that  we  should  be  unable  to  make 
our  way  through  it  in  a  direct  line  with  camels. 

The  following  day  we  left  camp  at  3  a.m.,  and 
proceeded  by  moonlight  through  a  country  similar  to 
that  which  we  had  traversed  the  day  before.  As 
dawn  broke,  it  revealed  a  scene  of  luxuriant  vegetation 
such  as  is  always  associated  with  tropical  Africa. 
Huge  trees  festooned  with  creepers  and  brightly 
coloured  flowers,  brilliantly  feathered  birds  flitting 

72 


Our  Guide 

He  was  a  Somili  of  tl  e  Heni  tribe  ;  notice  the  fringe  to  his  "  Tube. "  which  was  striped  yellow  and 
white,  and  the  broad-bladed  thrusting  spear. 


LUXURIANT  VEGETATION 


in  and  out  amongst  the  branches,  tall  grass  and 
shrubs  in  astonishing  profusion,  formed  an  almost 
theatrical  picture  to  which  the  finishing  touches  were 
added  by  a  thick  white  mist  that  rose  from  the 
ground,  blurring  the  outlines  and  adding  mystery 
to  the  scene.  As  the  sun  grew  hotter,  a  perfect 
swarm  of  small  flies  collected  around  us,  maddening 
the  camels  and  driving  my  men  and  myself  almost 
crazy.  There  was  not  a  breath  of  air,  and,  to  make 
matters  worse,  huge  storm-clouds  were  quietly 
gathering,  rendering  the  air  oppressive  beyond  de- 
scription. At  last,  close  on  8  a.m.,  we  reached  a 
small  Somali  boma,  and  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
beyond  I  camped  near  a  little  rain-pool.  The  camels 
did  not  arrive  for  another  hour,  having  had  trouble 
with  the  loads  in  the  bush.  The  storm  threatened 
all  the  morning,  but  did  not  break  till  2  o'clock,  when 
rain  came  down  with  truly  tropical  violence.  In  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  we  actually  filled  eight  tanks 
(ninety-six  gallons)  and  two  buckets  with  rain-water. 
It  cleared  up  completely  by  three  o'clock,  and  the  sun 
came  out,  making  the  atmosphere,  already  stifling, 
perfectly  indescribable.  But,  on  the  whole,  the  rain 
was  really  a  blessing,  as  the  water  was  clear  and  sweet, 
a  delightful  change  from  the  usual  kind  found  in  the 
bush,  which  is  either  full  of  mud  or  tastes  strongly 
of  the  animals  which  have  been  watering  there. 

When  the  storm  was  over,  I  went  out  in  search 
of  game,  as  I  had  been  told  that  there  were  oryx  and 
topi  in  this  district,  but  I  saw  no  traces  of  them,  and 
came  back  in  disgust  about  dark,  very  much  exhausted. 
We  broke  camp  at  half-past  three  the  following 
morning,  marching  northwards,  but  at  the  very  start 
there  was  an  unfortunate  accident,  my  servant,  Juma, 

73 


SOMALI  BOMAS 

slipping  in  the  mud  left  by  yesterday's  rain  and 
cutting  his  shin  to  the  bone  on  a  piece  of  wood.  He 
was  much  scared  at  the  sight  of  blood  flowing  rather 
freely,  and  wept  copiously  ;  however,  I  quickly  bound 
up  the  wound,  and,  as  he  was  obviously  incapable  of 
walking,  put  him  on  my  mule,  and  we  proceeded  on 
our  way.  I  passed  two  Somali  bomas  of  about 
fourteen  huts  each,  in  little  clearings  in  the  bush, 
and  unloaded  at  a  third.  There  were  several  tiny 
children  playing  outside  the  boma,  who,  on  seeing 
me,  fled  howling  to  their  mothers.  I  was  soon 
surrounded  by  the  male  population  of  the  village, 
numbering  about  fifteen  fully-armed  men  (one  with 
an  ugly-looking  hatchet),  but  on  walking  forward 
with  the  interpreter  and  explaining  that  I  had  come 
merely  to  shoot  and  amuse  myself,  they  became  quite 
friendly,  putting  away  their  weapons  and  bringing 
me  milk  and  ghee.  In  my  turn  I  gave  them  some 
"buni"  or  Somali  coffee,  and  I  further  cemented  our 
friendship  by  presenting  several  of  the  youngest  boys 
of  the  village  with  small  presents.  One  of  them, 
who  could  scarcely  have  been  more  than  a  couple 
of  years  old,  came  clinging  to  his  father's  leg  and 
seemed  perfectly  terrified,  but  I  managed  to  pacify 
him  by  giving  him  a  piece  of  cloth  for  his  mother. 
Its  crude  colours  seemed  to  soothe  his  fears,  and, 
giving  me  an  enchanting  smile,  he  clutched  it  in  his 
tiny  fists  and  toddled  off  to  the  boma  to  his  mother. 

In  the  afternoon  I  marched  on  again  towards 
the  north,  as  the  bush,  in  a  westerly  direction,  was 
impenetrable.  The  country  alternated  between  dense 
jungle  and  little  open  plains,  but  the  going  was  easy, 
as  we  were  following  an  old  elephant  trail.  Old  spoor 
of  this  kind  was  very  common,  although  just  before 

74 


THE  DESHEK  WAMA 


camping  I  came  across  some  very  fresh  tracks  of  a 
small  cow-elephant,  and  near  by  the  pug  marks  of 
a  lion,  almost  equally  fresh  ;  but  of  antelopes  I  saw 
no  sign  at  all. 

Although  heavy  clouds  gathered  in  the  afternoon, 
no  rain  fell,  and  towards  evening  the  sun  came  out 
again  with  renewed  intensity.  During  the  second 
part  of  the  journey,  Juma  travelled  tied  on  to  one 
of  the  camels,  as  I  did  not  fancy  walking  all  day  if 
it  could  be  avoided. 

On  the  following  day  I  had  a  renewed  attack  of 
dysentery,  but  was  compelled  to  proceed  until  water 
was  reached.  This  we  found  in  considerable  quantities 
ten  miles  farther  on,  in  a  little  valley  that  sloped 
downwards  in  a  northerly  direction  towards  the 
Deshek  /Wama.  The  latter  is  a  large,  shallow  de- 
pression about  sixteen  miles  long  by  two  broad,  which 
used  to  contain  permanent  water,  thus  forming  a 
natural  lake.  It  was  fed  by  a  stream  that  issued 
from  the  Juba,  and  also,  during  the  rains,  by  the 
combined  waters  of  the  Lak  Jiro  and  Lak  Dera, 
while  in  turn  it  was  drained  by  a  stream  that  joined 
the  Juba  River  again  just  above  Yonti.  But  the 
feeder  has  now  been  cut  off  by  an  artificial  bank, 
and  the  Deshek  Wama  is  dry,  except  during  the 
rainy  season.  The  valley,  where  I  camped,  occupied 
almost  the  exact  position  on  the  map  that  had 
previously  been  assigned  to  El  Lin  Swamp,  from 
which  the  Guranlag^a  was  said  to  rise  and  flow 
southwards.  But  to  the  natives  this  name  is  un- 
known, and,  though  questioned  separately,  they  all 
referred  to  it  as  Seyera.  It  is  a  shallow  valley 
whose  sides  are  covered  with  jungle,  while  the  bottom 
forms  a  small  swamp  three  miles  long  by  half  a 

75 


A  TRYING  TIME 


mile  broad.  This  is  drained  by  a  small  stream  that 
runs  into  the  Deshek  Wama  at  a  place  called  Soya. 
From  the  head  of  the  valley  the  country  rises 
gradually  towards  the  south,  with  an  average  slope 
of  i  :  800,  so  that  it  was  at  once  obvious  that  the 
Guranlagga  did  not  flow  southwards,  and  that  there- 
fore existing  maps  were  at  fault.  My  guide  also  de- 
clared that  it  was  still  three  days'  march  from  Seyera 
and  that  it  flowed  west  to  east,  and  I  discovered  later 
that  his  statements  were  not  far  wrong. 

The  next  sixteen  days  were  a  very  trying  ordeal 
to  me.  Between  attacks  of  acute  dysentery  I 
managed  to  do  a  little  work,  and  by  short  and 
painful  marches  reached  the  little  district  of  Gururu, 
which  is  situated  some  sixteen  miles  west  of  Seyera 
Swamp.  Here  I  had  to  give  in,  and  while  lying 
seriously  ill,  I  sent  back  to  Kismayu  for  various 
things  I  needed.  I  was  disheartened,  and  almost 
despaired  of  being  able  to  accomplish  my  purpose 
of  reaching  the  Lorian  Swamp.  It  was  an  unenviable 
position,  for  although  I  was  extremely  ill  and  in  great 
pain,  I  was  compelled  to  issue  orders  daily  to  my 
headman,  and  keep  my  men  busy.  I  lacked  invalid 
food  of  any  kind,  for  I  had  been  obliged  to  cut  down 
my  own  provisions  to  the  barest  minimum,  and  a 
continued  diet  of  weak  tea  and  toast,  although  harm- 
less, was  not  calculated  to  check  my  growing  physical 
weakness.  The  damp,  enervating  heat  night  and 
day,  when  the  whole  world  seemed  steaming,  and 
the  unpleasant  attentions  of  a  variety  of  insects, 
which  ranged  from  mosquitoes  and  flies  to  wood-lice 
and  giant  spiders,  added  greatly  to  my  discomforts. 
As  a  last  misfortune,  malarial  fever  broke  out  among 
my  men,  and  I  was  obliged  to  attend  to  the  sick 

76 


MY  HERTI  GUIDE 


every  evening,  although  I  was  so  exhausted  myself 
that  I  had  to  be  carried  out  of  my  tent  to  my  table, 
where  I  could  dispense  medicine  to  them.  At  last 
my  illness  took  a  turn  for  the  better,  and  I  received 
at  the  same  time  from  Kismayu,  in  answer  to  my 
message,  medicines,  invalid  food,  consisting  of  eggs, 
cocoa  and  biscuits,  and  a  stretcher  in  which  I  could 
be  carried  back  in  case  of  necessity.  And  here  I 
must  again  express  my  great  indebtedness  to  Mr. 
Dundas  for  the  trouble  he  took  on  my  behalf,  and 
for  the  unfailing  kindness  he  showed  me. 

As  I  grew  stronger  I  passed  much  time  in  a 
shelter  I  had  had  built  near  my  tent ;  here  my  chair 
was  placed,  and  I  would  sit  and  rest,  reading  and 
re-reading  the  books  I  had  with  me,  and  smoke  or 
doze  the  long  hours  away,  longing  to  be  up  and 
working  once  again.  The  days  passed  pleasantly 
and  quietly  ;  I  wandered  round  the  camp,  took  some 
snapshots,  and  saw  that  everything  was  in  good 
order,  so  that  I  might  start  as  soon  as  I  felt  strong 
enough.  I  had  long  been  anxious  to  obtain  a 
photograph  of  my  Herti  guide,  but  till  now  I  had 
not  been  successful  in  persuading  him  to  sit  for  me, 
for  nearly  all  Somali  have  a  great  objection  to  doing 
so,  either  from  a  superstitious  fear  of  the  unknown, 
or  because,  by  twisting  the  meaning  of  certain  words 
in  the  Koran,  they  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  law  forbids  it.  But  at  last,  I  thought  that  if 
he  saw  the  picture  on  the  ground  glass,  his  scruples 
might  be  overcome.  And  my  plan  succeeded,  for, 
on  seeing  the  people  upside  down  on  the  focusing 
screen,  he  was  immensely  amused,  and  thought  it 
a  splendid  joke !  He  told  me  that  if  my  object 
was  merely  to  view  people  in  that  ridiculous  position 

77 


TRAVELLING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES 


he  could  see  no  harm  in  it,  and  forthwith  agreed  to 
be  photographed  as  often  as  I  wished  !  I  allowed 
him  to  continue  in  this  belief,  for  his  interpretation 
of  my  actions  was  pleasing  and  unsophisticated,  and 
could  do  no  harm  to  anyone. 

While  at  Gururu,  I  witnessed  a  curious  incident. 
I  was  sitting  in  front  of  my  tent  after  tea,  when  I 
saw  a  laro-e  green  snake  come  out  from  the  thorn 
fence,  which  surrounded  my  camp,  in  pursuit  of  a 
frog,  which  he  caught  and  swallowed,  before  my 
eyes,  not  three  yards  away.  I  quickly  got  my 
whip  and  killed  it,  having  noted  the  time.  Exactly 
nine  and  a  half  minutes  after  the  frog  had  been 
swallowed,  I  had  the  snake's  stomach  opened  and 
found  the  frog  still  living,  and,  though  dazed  at 
first,  it  soon  began  to  hop  about.  However,  he 
too  had  to  be  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  science,  and 
they  both  found  their  way  into  the  collecting  box. 

On  i  ith  January  I  decided  to  move  on  westwards, 
for,  although  far  from  having  completely  recovered, 
it  was  very  necessary  that  I  should  continue  my 
journey.  I  had  only  a  limited  supply  of  food,  and 
I  feared  lest  the  water  should  dry  up  in  the  arid 
country  that  lies  between  Kurde  and  the  Lorian, 
which  would  make  it  impossible  for  me  to  reach  the 
latter  place.  As  I  wished  to  husband  my  resources, 
I  put  my  pride  in  my  pocket,  and  was  carried  in  a 
stretcher.  The  porters  shared  the  work  of  carrying 
me  and  of  clearing  the  road,  while  my  syce  came 
behind  leading  the  mule,  on  which  was  attached  my 
medicine  chest  and  a  little  food,  so  that  I  might 
have  something  to  eat  on  arriving  at  the  spot  where 
I  should  decide  to  camp,  instead  of  having  to  await 
the  coming  of  the  camels. 


BRUSH  AND  FOREST 


This  method  of  travelling,  so  long  as  it  is  in  a 
bush  or  forest  country,  does  not  prevent  one  from 
carrying  out  a  prismatic  compass  traverse.  At  fre- 
quent intervals  I  took  both  forward  and  back  bearings 
of  the  direction  of  the  trail,  and  read  my  aneroid,  or 
noted  the  temperature  at  which  water  boiled,  in  order 
to  get  the  variations  in  altitude.  This  method  of 
surveying  sounds  extremely  rough,  but  it  is  the 
usual,  and,  in  fact,  the  only  practicable  one  in  dense 
jungle,  and  when  checked  by  proper  astronomical 
observations  yields  surprisingly  accurate  results. 

At  first  the  country  consisted  of  the  usual  bush, 
but  gradually  this  gave  place  to  forest  equally  dense 
but  more  interesting.  Huge  yak  trees  with  weirdly 
gnarled  trunks,  and  tall,  slender  mimosas  took  the 
place  of  the  withered  scrub  of  which  I  had  grown 
so  tired ;  and  the  undergrowth  of  thorn  and  aloes 
changed  into  green  shrubs  with  beautifully  coloured 
flowers,  some  red,  others  mauve,  but  the  majority 
white.  Fluttering  from  bush  to  bush  were  a  multi- 
tude of  white  moths,  and  so  numerous  were  they, 
that  they  became  almost  as  annoying  as  the  flies. 
Except  on  this  one  occasion  I  saw  not  a  single 
other  specimen  of  this  particular  moth  in  Jubaland. 
The  road  wound  in  and  out  among  the  trees  in  a 
most  bewildering  fashion,  until,  some  four  hours 
later,  we  emerged  into  a  little  glade  where  two 
gigantic  yak  trees  stood  sentry  over  a  little  pool 
of  rain-water.  Here  I  decided  to  camp,  and,  after 
a  welcome  cup  of  cocoa,  lay  down  and  dozed  until 
the  camels  arrived  about  noon.  As  I  moved  to 
allow  them  to  pitch  my  tent  in  the  shade  beneath 
the  tree,  a  francolin  rose  at  my  very  feet  with  a 
tremendous  whirr,  leaving  her  nest  with  six  eggs 

79 


A  PLAGUE  OF  FLIES 


in  it.  It  is  extraordinary  to  think  that  in  spite  of 
the  noisy  porters  and  the  confusion  on  the  arrival  of 
the  caravan,  she  had  remained  hidden  within  fifteen 
yards,  and  had  only  flown  away  when  I  nearly 
stepped  on  her.  In  the  afternoon  I  strolled  round 
in  the  bush,  and  was  lucky  to  shoot  two  guinea- 
fowl  quite  close  to  camp.  There  was  but  little  game, 
although  here  and  there  I  came  across  the  monstrous 
spoor  of  elephant,  which  showed  them  to  have 
trekked  westward  a  month  or  so  ago. 

Practically  this  whole  district,  from  Seyera  Swamp 
southwards,  is  avoided  by  the  Somali,  although  it 
possesses  some  very  rich  pasture  land,  because  of 
a  certain  kind  of  fly  ( Tabanus  africanus)  which  infests 
its  forests.  They  are  said  to  cause  fever  among 
cattle  and  camels,  and  certainly  my  own  camels 
suffered  severely  here,  and  large  fires  of  green  wood 
had  to  be  lighted,  in  the  smoke  of  which  they  used 
to  stand,  refusing  to  feed,  and  obviously  terribly 
tormented  by  these  flies.  I  believe,  however,  that 
it  is  the  irritation  caused  by  the  bites  of  these  insects, 
rather  than  any  poison  they  carry,  which  causes  the 
fever. 


80 


CHAPTER  VII 


A  NEW  RIVER 

We  reached  the  river  after  a  long  and  tiring  march, 
accomplished  without  incident.  I  left  Agodi  in  the 
early  morning  on  my  stretcher,  and  we  marched 
through  thin  scrub  and  large  acacia  trees  until  noon. 
After  leaving  Agodi  the  ground  sloped  slightly  up- 
wards towards  the  south  for  about  three  miles,  when 
the  crest  of  the  divide  was  reached.  This  is  the  main 
watershed  which  divides  the  valley  of  the  Lak  Dera 
from  that  of  the  Guranlagga,  and  it  follows  approxi- 
mately a  line  drawn  between  Liboyi,  Agodi  and  the 
Dibayu  Plain.  When  this  is  crossed  the  ground 
slopes  gradually  downwards  towards  the  south-wrest. 
A  thick  line  of  big  trees  stretching  across  the  plain 
and  showing  above  the  thin  thorn  scrub  was  the  first 
indication  that  we  were  approaching  the  stream  at 
last.  We  crossed  the  river-bed  at  four  o'clock,  where 
it  was  dry,  but  there  were  large  pools  above  and  below 
as  there  were  in  the  bed  of  the  small  tributary  that 
ran  down  from  the  hills  parallel  to  the  trail  by  which 
we  had  come.  In  both  rivers  trees,  shrubs  and  creepers 
grew  in  the  most  astonishing  tangle  ;  no  words  of 
mine  could  convey  an  adequate  impression  of  the 
scene,  but  some  idea  can  be  gained  of  the  tropical 
vegetation  by  referring  to  the  accompanying  photo- 
graph of  the  river.  While  camp  was  being  pitched 
I  strolled  down  along  the  bank  of  the  river  and  shot 
f  81 


"THE  POOL  OF  BIRDS 


a  francolin  and  a  duck,  which  I  was  very  glad  to  have 
secured  for  my  dinner.  The  name  of  this  place  is 
Shimbirleh  ("the  pool  of  birds"),  and  here  it  may  be 
explained  that  Guranlagga  or  the  Lak  Guran  means, 
freely  translated,  a  "jungle  stream."  Either  name 
is  correct,  for  Lak  is  a  Galla  word  for  a  river  that 
runs  only  after  the  rains,  and  is  universally  used  in 
Jubaland  by  the  natives  to  distinguish  such  streams 
from  the  permanent  rivers,  for  which  the  Somali  word 
is  Webbe.  When  the  word  Lak  is  put  after  the 
name  of  a  river,  its  form  is  changed  into  -lagga, 
although  the  meaning  is  preserved.  Guran  is  a 
native  word  for  a  thornless  acacia ;  hence  the  literal 
meaning  of  Guranlagga  is  "the  stream  where  the 
Guran  bushes  grow." 

Its  general  direction  at  Shimbirleh  is  from  west 
to  east,  and  a  month  later  I  discovered  that  its  source 
was  due  west  of  that  place.  On  previous  maps  it 
was  shown  to  run  from  north  to  south,  and  its  name 
was  given  as  "  Lak  Guranlugga,"  which  shows  how 
easily  confusion  is  brought  into  geographical  nomen- 
clature by  people  who  do  not  carefully  question  the 
natives  as  regards  the  meaning  of  local  names. 

As  a  long  and  waterless  march  of  58  miles 
lay  between  this  place  and  the  districts  of  Joreh,  I 
decided  to  spend  a  few  days  here  and  give  the  camels 
a  rest  before  undertaking  it.  I  spent  much  of  my 
time  in  exploring  the  river,  as  far  as  it  was  possible 
to  do  so,  both  east  and  west.  At  intervals  I  did 
a  little  hunting  ;  the  game  was  scarce  and  I  was  only 
able  to  add  birds  to  my  collection.  However,  one  day 
while  I  was  out  in  the  jungle  that  fills  the  river-bed, 
I  heard  a  tremendous  rustling  of  branches,  as  though 
some  large  beast  was  making  its  way  through  the 

82 


The  Lak  Guran  at  Shimbirleh  (the  pool  of  birds) 


This  stream  had  never  been  previously  explored.  It  plays  an  important  part  in  the  drainage 
system  of  southern  Jubaland.  The  photograph  gives  some  idea  of  the  dense  character  of  the 
vegetation,  which  renders  travelling  so  arduous  in  the  interior  of  Jubaland. 


A  TROOP  OF  MONKEYS 


forest,  and  I  had  visions  of  a  magnificent  bull 
elephant  or  buffalo.  Unfortunately  it  was  only  a 
troop  of  monkeys  jumping  from  branch  to  branch 
amongst  the  tree-tops,  so  I  exchanged  my  express 
rifle  for  a  shot-gun,  and  as  they  approached  I  shot 
one  as  he  was  crossing  above  the  stream.  He  fell 
with  a  splash  into  the  water,  and  at  the  sound  of  the 
shot  the  rest  dashed  off  in  alarm,  their  frightened 
chattering  soon  dying  away  in  the  distance.  I  sent 
one  of  the  porters  to  retrieve  the  one  I  had  killed, 
and  it  proved  to  be  an  adult  male  of  a  small  species 
of  monkey  which  is  only  found  in  the  bush  near  the 
coast.  Much  to  my  surprise  it  was  clasping  in  its 
arms  a  tiny  baby  monkey  not  more  than  one  or  two 
days  old.  The  expression  of  anguish  on  its  face,  in 
fact,  its  whole  appearance  was  so  distressingly  human 
that  I  hurriedly  sent  it  back  to  the  camp  in  charge 
of  the  skinner,  in  order  to  be  rid  of  it.  It  appears, 
from  what  the  natives  told  me,  that  it  is  not  unusual 
for  the  male  parent  to  look  after  the  newborn 
monkey,  while  the  mother  goes  out  in  search  of  food, 
during  the  first  few  weeks  after  birth. 

On  the  same  day  I  managed  to  replenish  my 
stock  of  food  by  killing  two  guinea-fowl  and  another 
duck.  This  was  really  welcome,  for,  owing  to  the 
heat  and  humidity,  I  had  been  compelled  to  throw 
away  the  rest  of  my  potatoes,  which  had  gone  bad, 
and  a  sack  of  mealies  that  had  become  mouldy. 

Owing  to  the  uncertain  and  cloudy  weather  I 
was  often  compelled,  at  this  time,  to  take  observations 
for  latitude  and  time  to  the  sun.  This  was  a  very 
trying  performance,  especially  as  at  midday  the  sun 
was  almost  vertically  overhead,  since  Shimbirleh  is 
situated  only  a  few  miles  south  of  the  Equator,  and 

83 


LOST  IN  THE  JUNGLE 


often  the  telescope  of  the  theodolite  was  so  hot  that  it 
became  painful  to  the  touch. 

On  one  occasion  I  came  across  the  fresh  spoor  of 
what  must  have  been  a  gigantic  bull  buffalo,  but  so 
thick  was  the  bush  that  it  was  impossible  to  follow 
it  far,  as  I  could  only  proceed  on  hands  and  knees. 
I  was  therefore  reluctantly  compelled  to  retrace  my 
steps,  but  before  I  had  reached  more  open  country 
darkness  had  fallen,  and  I  realised,  to  my  dismay, 
that  we  were  lost.  I  was  only  accompanied  by  my 
gun-bearer,  who,  having  been  born  in  the  highlands, 
was  useless  at  finding  his  way  through  the  jungle. 
Fortunately,  however,  I  found  an  old  game  trail 
which  led  us  down  to  one  of  the  main  pools  in  the 
river-bed,  not  far  from  where  I  was  camped.  Here, 
owing  to  the  bright  moonlight,  I  recognised  my 
whereabouts,  and  reached  camp  safely  just  before  ten 
o'clock. 

On  leaving  Shimbirleh  we  started  out  in  a  south- 
westerly direction,  and  on  our  way  crossed  the  river 
twice  again  where  it  makes  a  big  bend  to  the  south. 
We  then  turned  south  ourselves  up  a  slight  slope  that 
rose  about  1 50  feet  in  the  next  10  miles,  when  we 
reached  a  plateau  densely  covered  with  trees,  a  very 
good  example  of  a  tropical  forest.  Here  I  saw  again 
the  same  flowers  and  the  same  trees  that  I  had  seen 
at  Agodi.  I  unloaded  and  let  the  camels  feed,  but 
later  in  the  afternoon  pushed  on  again  in  the  same 
general  direction,  at  first  through  forest  and  then 
through  the  usual  grey  thorn-scrub  that  rose  above 
our  heads,  completely  obscuring  our  view  of  anything, 
even  within  a  few  feet  of  us,  but  giving  no  protection 
from  the  burning  sun.  We  marched  on  steadily  till 
shortly  after  five  o'clock,  when  we  entered  a  little 

84 


GIANT  SPIDERS'  WEBS 


clearing  where  I  decided  to  camp.  The  camels 
arrived  very  shortly  after,  as  they  had  not  rested  long 
at  midday  ;  my  tent  was  soon  up,  and  I  was  obliged 
to  be  content  with  a  frugal  meal  of  rice  and  tea,  for  I 
had  been  unable  to  shoot  any  game  during  the  day. 
The  men  were  very  tired  and,  instead  of  the  usual 
singing  and  talking,  they  were  silent  after  their 
dinner  and  were  soon  asleep.  At  eight  I  went  my 
rounds ;  all  was  quiet,  the  camels  chewing  the  cud  in 
a  great  semicircle  behind  my  tent,  the  dim  figures  of 
the  sleeping  men  lying  around  the  fires  and  the  two 
sentries  pacing  up  and  down,  the  light  from  the  new 
moon  shining  on  their  fixed  bayonets  ;  all  around  was 
the  dense  bush,  broken  only  by  the  yak  trees  whose 
giant  forms  rose  here  and  there  above  it,  their  whitish 
trunks  gleaming  like  silver  in  the  moonlight.  All 
day  long  I  had  seen  no  living  thing  except  a  few 
lizards,  snakes  and  ants  ;  that  night,  at  any  rate,  we 
were  the  only  human  beings  in  that  huge  wilderness. 

The  next  morning's  march  was  through  a  country 
very  similar  to  that  which  we  had  passed  the  day 
before,  except  for  the  thorn  scrub,  which  was  more 
than  usually  dense,  so  that  I  foresaw  trouble  for  the 
camels.  Moreover  there  were  thousands  of  giant 
spiders'  webs,  almost  invisible  in  the  early  morning 
light,  which  kept  brushing  across  my  face  in  a  most 
irritating  manner  as  I  rode  along,  so  I  decided  to 
walk,  especially  as  I  was  somewhat  saddle  -  sore 
after  the  long  march  of  the  previous  day,  and  had  not 
yet  recovered  from  my  illness.  We  marched  on  at 
a  very  good  pace,  the  sun  rose  a  dull  smoke-coloured 
disc  seen  through  the  thick  mist,  and  the  heat  grew  ; 
but  at  7.30  a  great  surprise  was  in  store  for  me,  for 
as  we  emerged  from  the  forest  for  a  moment,  I  saw  a 

85 


A  DEPRESSING  SCENE 


large  swamp  right  in  front  of  me.  It  was  a  real 
discovery,  as  it  was  marked  on  no  map,  so  I  was 
immensely  pleased,  and  took  great  pains  to  fix  its 
position,  and  that  of  two  smaller  ones  a  little  farther 
on.  The  first  was  a  huge  circular  depression,  now 
dry,  three  miles  in  circumference,  filled  with  tall 
elephant  grass  and  surrounded  by  numerous  yak 
trees.  It  is  known  to  the  natives  as  Gombe  Barsa, 
and  is  an  important  water-hole  for  the  Somali  who 
are  trekking  from  the  Deshek  Wama  to  the  district 
of  Joreh.  I  attempted  to  take  some  photographs,  but 
they  were  unsatisfactory  owing  to  the  thickness  and 
height  of  the  undergrowth. 

After  leaving  this  spot  we  passed  through  another 
broad  belt  of  forest,  which  gradually  grew  thinner 
until  we  emerged  at  last  into  a  large  open  plain 
covered  with  very  rank  grass  and  dotted  with  small 
clumps  of  stunted  grey  thorn  bushes.  The  scene  was 
desolate  in  the  extreme  ;  there  was  something  physic- 
ally depressing  about  it,  and,  though  I  cannot  explain 
the  feeling,  even  the  bush  with  its  big  trees  and 
tropical  vegetation  seemed  preferable  to  the  hopeless 
aridity  of  this  plain.  My  guide  informed  me  that 
this  was  the  beginning  of  Joreh,  that  land  of  promise 
teeming  with  game — a  true  hunter's  paradise  as  it  had 
been  pictured  to  me.  I  did  not  halt  here,  but 
marched  on,  and  soon,  much  to  my  disgust,  the  guide 
confessed  he  did  not  quite  know  where  he  was,  for 
he  had  never  been  there  before,  and  it  was  only 
his  cousin  who  had  told  him  the  way.  My  inability 
to  speak  Somali  prevented  my  telling  him  what  I 
thought  of  him,  so,  leading  the  way,  I  struck  south- 
wards across  the  plain,  following  an  old  game  trail. 
We  had  still  three  tins  of  water,  sufficient  at  a  pinch 

86 


A  DISAPPOINTMENT 


for  two  days,  so  I  decided  to  march  on  as  fast  as 
possible  till  we  came  to  a  native  track,  and  then  to 
follow  it.  As  a  matter  of  fact  I  found  one  within 
three  miles,  and  shortly  afterwards  reached  a  deserted 
Somali  boma  with  a  little  rainpool  in  the  bush  near 
by.  I  camped  there,  but  the  camels  did  not  arrive 
till  late  in  the  afternoon,  for  they  had  had  great 
trouble  with  the  loads  in  the  thick  bush,  as  I  had  fore- 
seen. One  of  the  collecting  boxes  had  been  broken 
by  a  branch,  and  most  of  the  contents  ruined.  The 
heat  had  been  excessive  all  day  and  tried  both  camels 
and  men  severely,  but,  in  spite  of  an  attack  of  fever,  I 
was  compelled  to  go  out  in  the  afternoon  in  search  of 
game,  as  I  had  no  fresh  food. 

After  a  little  while  I  saw  a  few  topi  grazing  in  the 
open,  and  I  managed  to  get  within  100  yards  of 
them,  but  being  far  from  fit,  and  my  hand  being 
rather  shaky,  I  made  a  disgraceful  shot ;  I  saw  the 
dust  fly  to  the  right  of  the  animal  I  was  aiming  at ; 
off  they  went  at  a  lumbering  gallop,  and  we  saw  them 
no  more.  Although  I  was  very  disappointed,  I  could 
not  help  laughing  at  the  guide,  for  he,  in  the  anguish 
caused  by  seeing  himself  deprived  of  the  meat  for 
which  he  had  been  longing,  let  out  a  string  of  Somali 
oaths,  and  then  distinctly  said  "damn!  "  As  he  did 
not  even  know  "yes"  and  "  no"  in  English,  and  had 
probably  only  heard  the  word  for  the  first  time  that 
morning  when  I  was  talking  to  him  about  losing  the 
way,  it  struck  me  as  particularly  humorous.  The 
wearisome  return  to  camp,  however,  was  not  so  funny, 
although  I  managed  to  obtain  a  couple  of  doves, 
which  made  an  excellent  meal. 

Two  days  later  I  reached  a  Somali  boma  called 
Goloshe*  Ware,  and  found  a  small  settlement  of  Herti 

87 


HERTI  SOMALI 


Somali  who  had  been  detained  there  by  illness  (which 
proved  on  investigation  to  be  malaria),  but  who 
intended  to  move  on  southwards  as  soon  as  possible, 
since  water  was  giving  out.  The  headman  proved 
very  friendly  but  unintelligent  and  not  very  accom- 
modating. He  agreed  to  sell  me  a  little  ghee  in 
exchange  for  some  cloth,  but  could  not  be  induced 
to  part  with  a  calf  at  any  price. 

We  were  much  bothered  by  flies  here  ;  the  heat 
was  indescribable  and  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere 
excessive,  so  that  it  was  with  pleasure  that  I  broke 
camp  the  following  day,  still  going  southwards.  The 
two  guides  went  first  (for  I  had  to  engage  another 
from  this  village),  then  I  followed  on  my  mule,  with 
my  syce,  two  gun-bearers,  two  orderlies,  two  camera 
and  instrument  bearers,  interpreter  and  skinner ;  after 
us  came  the  long  line  of  camels,  their  loads  swaying  as 
they  walked,  their  wooden  bells  sounding  cheerfully 
and  blending  with  the  songs  of  the  syces  who  walked 
alongside,  the  rear  being  brought  up  by  two  more 
askaris,  the  headman  and  the  head  syce.  The  whole 
village — men,  women  and  children — turned  out  to 
watch  us  pass,  and  they  seemed  greatly  amused  at 
the  sight.  My  clothes,  and  especially  my  double  terai 
hat,  with  its  crimson  puggaree,  caused  them  more 
merriment  than  anything  else. 

The  Somali  at  this  boma  were  a  poor  lot  of  men 
physically,  although  rich  in  cattle.  They  lived  chiefly 
on  milk,  and  were  pot-bellied  and  weak.  They  spent 
most  of  their  day  asleep  on  their  prayer-mats  under  a 
tree,  sipping  coffee,  if  they  were  lucky  enough  to  have 
any,  and  chatting  with  their  cronies  in  the  intervals  of 
wakefulness.  The  climate  may  partly  account  for  this 
absence  of  energy,  as  it  is  terribly  relaxing  and 


GIRAFFES 


unhealthy  ;  they  seemed  to  feel  its  effects  very  much, 
and  were  constantly  suffering  from  fever  and  dysentery, 
while  hardly  one  of  them  was  free  from  ghastly  sores 
on  some  part  of  his  person. 

After  we  had  camped  that  afternoon  in  a  little 
clearing,  I  went  out  in  search  of  game,  and  within 
half  an  hour  of  leaving  camp  I  saw  a  bull  giraffe  and 
three  young  cows.  Giraffes  are  protected  in  East 
Africa,  and  I  was  therefore  unable  to  shoot  one,  but 
after  a  good  stalk,  I  managed  to  get  quite  close  and 
sat  down  to  observe  them.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight 
watching  them  feed,  quite  unconscious  of  danger, 
nibbling  daintily  at  the  green  leaves,  and  I  was  struck 
by  the  fact  that  they  were  scarcely  noticeable  amid 
the  bush,  in  spite  of  their  vivid  marking  and  enormous 
size.  I  soon  lost  sight  of  them  and  came  across 
nothing  further  for  more  than  an  hour,  when  I  found 
some  very  fresh  spoor  which  I  carelessly  took  to  be 
that  of  a  topi.  Leaving  my  gun-bearer  behind  I 
went  forward  alone,  and  soon  after,  on  looking  cau- 
tiously over  an  ant-hill,  I  saw,  not  100  yards  away, 
five  oryx  feeding  quietly  among  the  bush ;  there 
was  no  big  bull,  so  I  picked  out  a  good  cow,  and 
sitting  down  took  careful  aim  and  fired.  She  pitched 
forward  as  the  bullet  hit  her,  and  I  knew  that  I  had 
at  last  got  meat.  The  others  had  not  gone  very  far, 
so  I  fired  again,  and  by  a  lucky  fluke  broke  both  hind 
legs  of  a  young  bull  at  about  200  yards.  Both  proved 
to  be  in  splendid  condition,  with  plenty  of  fat  under 
the  skin,  which  is  somewhat  unusual  in  African  game. 
As  I  had  had  no  proper  food  for  three  days,  I  there 
and  then  sat  down  and  roasted  a  nice  piece  over  the 
embers,  and  ate  it,  although  I  had  no  salt  with  me. 

Meanwhile,  I  sent  the  guide  back  to  camp,  and  by 

89 


TOPI 


the  time  I  had  finished  my  impromptu  dinner  he 
turned  up  again  with  two  camels,  and  every  scrap  of 
meat  was  taken  back.  Everyone  was  in  the  best 
of  spirits,  and  when  I  refused  to  give  out  any  rations, 
the  men  took  it  very  well,  only  asking  for  plenty  of 
meat,  which  I  gave  them. 

The  following  day  I  continued  southwards  and  in 
the  early  morning  I  was  again  successful  in  obtaining 
more  meat.  We  entered  a  small  open  plain,  about 
two  miles  across,  with  a  large  swamp  on  the  west,  now 
dry.  I  left  the  camels  here  to  go  on,  while  I  turned  off 
to  investigate,  but  I  had  not  proceeded  very  far  before 
my  syce  gave  a  low  whistle.  I  looked  up,  and  there, 
about  100  yards  away,  stood  a  solitary  topi,  looking 
very  handsome  in  the  early  morning  light.  I  sat 
down,  and  taking  rather  a  quick  sight,  fired,  and  to 
my  delight  the  bullet  clapped  loudly,  telling  me  of 
a  well-placed  shot.  The  topi  made  a  tremendous 
spurt,  but  soon  stopped,  and  I  saw  that  it  was  in 
great  trouble,  so  I  sat  down  and  smoked  a  cigarette 
before  going  cautiously  forward.  I  soon  saw  her 
lying  down,  and  as  she  got  up  I  gave  her  another 
bullet  at  close  quarters  which  finished  her  off.  She 
proved  to  be  a  splendid  cow,  with  very  long  horns, 
although  in  basal  girth  they  were  much  smaller  than 
those  of  topi  in  the  more  westerly  parts  of  East 
Africa. 

Later  in  the  day  I  saw  another  small  herd  of 
topi,  of  which  I  managed  to  bag  three  more.  All 
the  meat  was  taken,  and  what  was  not  eaten  immedi- 
ately was  cut  into  strips  and  dried.  The  game  was 
very  tame.  They  were  not  much  alarmed  at  the 
sound  of  a  shot,  but  seemed  bewildered,  running  round 
and  round  unable  to  detect  the  direction  from  which 

90 


MONOTONOUS  COUNTRY 


danger  came.  But  if  once  they  have  caught  sight 
of  the  hunter  they  will  make  off  directly,  and  it  is 
then  useless  to  follow  them.  The  secret  of  success 
consists  in  keeping  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
shadows  and  in  remaining  as  motionless  as  possible 
after  the  first  shot,  until  their  alarm  has  somewhat 
subsided. 

The  days  passed  pleasantly  enough  in  working 
and  hunting,  but  I  kept  gradually  moving  southwards 
until  I  reached  the  little  village  of  Guratti.  The 
country  in  its  vicinity  is  much  pleasanter  than  any 
I  had  yet  met  with  in  Jubaland.  There  were  large 
shady  trees  overshadowing  picturesque  glades  car- 
peted with  grass,  and  a  few  euphorbias  lent  interest 
to  a  scene  that  was  otherwise  tame.  It  is  difficult 
to  give  an  adequate  description  of  the  country 
through  which  I  had  passed.  There  were  no 
mountains,  rivers  or  lakes  to  form  a  dominant 
feature  in  the  landscape  ;  constant  monotony  was  the 
keynote  of  the  country ;  mile  upon  mile  of  grey 
thorn  bushes,  whose  delicate  leaves  and  thin  thorny 
branches  shut  out  the  view,  only  gave  place  here 
and  there  to  flat  meadow-lands  clothed  with  coarse 
grass  and  dotted  with  mimosas.  Now  and  again 
there  were  some  large  trees,  chiefly  yaks  ;  or  perhaps 
great  patches  of  reeds,  12  or  14  feet  high,  that 
met  above  your  head,  and  rustled  back  to  their 
places  as  you  passed  ;  but  otherwise  there  was  no 
striking  landmark,  only  the  extraordinary  flatness  of 
the  whole  country.  And  in  colouring  it  was  the  same, 
endless  greens,  more  vivid  where  there  was  water, 
and  greys,  with  here  and  there  the  brown  of  a  dead 
tree,  or  of  some  curiously  shaped  ant-hill. 

As  soon  as  we  reached  the  boma,  the  headman, 

9i 


A  HOSPITABLE  RECEPTION 


who  was  most  decidedly  Chinese  in  appearance,  with 
almond-shaped  eyes,  and  long  thin  moustache,  came 
out  and  begged  me  to  camp,  saying  that  as  I  was 
the  first  white  "  officer  "  to  come  to  their  village  they 
wanted  to  do  me  honour.  I  could  hardly  refuse,  for 
the  country  here  is  only  nominally  administered,  and 
I  was  dependent  on  the  goodwill  of  the  natives  to 
allow  me  to  go  through  their  country  ;  and  a  delight- 
ful camp  it  proved.  At  a  discreet  distance  all  the 
male  population  watched  the  pitching  of  my  tent 
with  the  greatest  interest,  and  bright-eyed,  brown- 
limbed  little  children,  with  long  curly  brown  hair, 
gazed  with  solemn  wonder  at  me  from  the  safety  of 
the  surrounding  bushes.  When  the  tent  was  up, 
I  saw  a  procession  being  formed,  and  the  elders  of 
the  village  came  up  to  welcome  me,  bringing  with 
them  an  ox,  a  quantity  of  ghee  and  eight  pots  of  milk, 
"all  they  had,"  as  the  headman  said,  "to  show  me 
honour  and  make  my  heart  glad."  He  further 
begged  permission  to  hold  a  dance  in  the  afternoon  ; 
naturally,  I  gave  it,  and  after  thanking  them  for  their 
welcome,  and  for  their  friendly  attitude  towards  a 
stranger,  I  proceeded  to  question  them  as  to  their 
country  and  the  whereabouts  of  game.  In  the 
meantime  I  ordered  my  headman  to  prepare  coffee 
for  them,  and  they  remained  the  rest  of  the  day 
within  my  boma,  talking  to  my  men  for  hours,  while 
they  sipped  the  sickly  buni,  of  which  they  seemed  so 
fond. 

The  dance,  which  was  to  be  somewhat  similar, 
I  was  told,  to  one  I  had  witnessed  in  Kismayu,  took 
place  in  the  afternoon.  Boxes  meanwhile  had  been 
placed  in  a  semicircle  in  front  of  my  tent,  for  the 
elders  to  sit  upon.    My  men  put  on  their  best  clothes 

92 


A  DANCE 


and  their  cartridge  belts,  and  took  their  rifles,  while  my 
escort,  together  with  the  headman,  interpreter  and 
gun-bearers,  came  up  armed  to  the  teeth  and  stood 
behind  and  on  each  side  of  me.  There  is  always  a 
certain  element  of  danger  in  these  dances,  for  the 
young  men,  or  warriors,  work  themselves  up  to  a 
high  pitch  of  excitement,  and  sometimes  the  elders 
lose  control  over  them. 

Soon  the  whole  village  assembled,  and  the  dance 
began.  It  was  characterised  by  much  noise  and 
extreme  energy,  but,  like  all  African  dances,  it  soon 
became  very  monotonous.  In  the  same  way  as  at 
Kismayu,  each  warrior  came  springing  towards  me, 
brandishing  his  spear  a  few  inches  off  my  face,  crying 
out,  "Modt"  (Hail!).  Everybody  watched  me  to 
see  if  I  would  flinch,  but  I  had  been  warned  before- 
hand by  my  headman  of  what  was  going  to  happen,  so 
that  I  was  able  to  maintain  my  self-control,  although 
I  must  confess  it  was  somewhat  disconcerting1  at  first. 
This  went  on  for  about  two  hours,  when  I  called  a 
halt,  as  I  was  growing  very  tired  of  the  performance. 
I  then  made  another  short  speech  of  thanks,  gave 
the  dancers  some  more  coffee,  and  the  elders  some 
presents,  with  which  they  were  very  pleased,  and  then 
dismissed  them.  Thus  ended  a  very  pleasant  and 
interesting  day. 

As  I  had  now  reached  the  northerly  limits  of  the 
country  inhabited  by  Hunter's  hartebeeste,  I  propose 
to  give  in  the  following  chapter  an  account  of  the 
characteristics  and  habits  of  these  rare  and  interestine 
animals  before  proceeding  to  describe  the  days  I  spent 
in  hunting;  them. 


93 


CHAPTER  VIII 


THE  ARROLA,  OR  HUNTER'S  HARTEBEESTE 

One  of  the  objects  I  had  in  view  in  undertaking  this 
journey  was  to  obtain  specimens  of  Hunter's  harte- 
beeste,  or  arrola,  as  it  is  known  to  the  natives.  These 
antelopes  were  first  discovered  by  Mr.  H.  C.  V.  Hunter, 
in  1887,  when  travelling  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tana 
River.  He  found  them  in  herds  of  from  ten  to 
twenty,  frequenting  open  plains  and  thin  thorn  bush, 
but  he  never  saw  them  in  thick  scrub  or  forest. 

At  present  there  is  a  fine  pair,  male  and  female, 
in  the  Nairobi  Club,  and  also  about  a  dozen  speci- 
mens in  England,  but  exceedingly  little  is  known 
of  their  habits  or  of  the  country  where  they  are  to  be 
found. 

They  belong  to  the  sub-family  BubalidiN/E,  which 
is  constituted  by  the  true  hartebeeste,  the  bastard- 
hartebeeste  and  the  gnu,  and  each  of  these  genera 
is  represented  in  East  Africa.  According  to  Mr.  R. 
Lydekker,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  much  of  the 
information  on  this  subject,  the  members  of  this  group 
are  ungainly  looking  ruminants  of  comparatively  large 
size,  and  with  naked  muzzles,  although  the  lower  part 
of  the  nostrils  is  covered  with  short  bristly  hairs. 
The  tail  is  generally  long,  covered  with  hair,  and 
ending  in  a  tuft,  and  lateral  hoofs  of  large  size  are 
generally  present.  The  females,  as  well  as  the  males, 
carry  horns,  as  is  the  case  with  the  "bovidae,"  but 

94 


TRUE  HAliTEBEESTES 


the  teeth,  which  in  the  upper  jaw  have  tall  and  narrow 
crowns,  resemble  those  of  the  sheep  or  goat. 

The  true  hartebeeste  is  characterised  by  the 
enormous  development  of  the  upper  prolongation  of 
the  forehead,  known  as  the  "  pedicle,"  on  which  the 
horns  are  mounted  ;  the  latter  are  doubly  curved  and 
heavily  ringed,  while  the  remarkable  height  of  the 
withers  and  falling  away  of  the  hindquarters  is  another 
noticeable  peculiarity.  There  are  nine  well-known 
varieties  of  true  hartebeeste,  namely  : — 

1.  The  Bubal  Hartebeeste  (B.  boselaphus),  North  Africa. 

2.  The  Western  Hartebeeste  (B.  major),  Senegambia  and 

West  Coast. 

3.  Tora  Hartebeeste  (B.  tora),  Abyssinia  and  Blue  Nile 

basin. 

4.  Swayne's  Hartebeeste  (B.  Swaynei),  Somaliland. 

5.  Coke's  Hartebeeste  (B.  cokei),  British  and  German  East 

Africa. 

6.  Cape  Hartebeeste  (B.  cama),  South  Africa. 

7.  Lelwel  Hartebeeste  (B.  klwel),  East  Central  Africa. 

8.  Neumann's  Hartebeeste  (B.  neumannt),  Lake  Rudolf. 

9.  The  Konzi  Hartebeeste  (B.  lichtensteini),  East  Africa, 

north  of  Sabi  River,  Nyasaland  and  Mozambique. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  the  above  species, 
but  it  is  unnecessary  to  name  them  here,  as  their  final 
classification  is  by  no  means  complete. 

We  now  come  to  a  group  of  antelopes  closely  akin 
to  the  more  typical  hartebeestes,  from  which  they  are 
distinguished  by  the  more  moderate  length  of  face, 
by  the  absence  of  the  horn  pedicle,  and  by  the  simple 
lyrate  form  of  the  horns,  while  the  withers  are  much 
less  elevated  above  the  hindquarters.  There  are  five 
well-known  species  in  this  group. 

1.  Topi,  korrigum  and  tiang  (Damafiscus  corrigum  jimeld). 

2.  Bontebok  (D.  pycargus). 

95 


THE  AREOLA 

3.  Blesbok  (D.  albifrons). 

4.  Tsessebe  (I),  lunatus). 

5.  Arrola  (jD.  hunteri). 

I  shall  refrain  from  discussing  the  third  group, 
Connochcetes,  since  no  representatives  of  it  are 
present  in  Jubaland. 

Of  the  animals  mentioned  above,  Coke's, 
Neumann's  and  the  Lelwel  hartebeeste  are  found  in 
the  highlands  of  East  Africa  :  the  topi  is  common 
along  the  German  border  and  near  Muhoroni,  but  the 
race  to  which  I  have  referred  (D.  c.jimela)  is  typically 
from  the  Juba  River  Valley.  It  is  also  found  in 
considerable  numbers  near  Lake  Rudolf.  In  Juba- 
land the  topi  takes  the  place  of  the  true  hartebeeste, 
which  is  absent.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  it  is 
widely  distributed  in  the  Protectorate.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  arrola,  which  is  the  only  other  species  of 
the  family  Bubalidinae  in  Jubaland,  is  extremely  local 
in  its  range,  and  is  found  only  in  the  Tana  Valley  and 
on  the  borders  of  Tanaland  and  Jubaland  and  nowhere 
else  in  Africa. 

Standing  about  48  inches  at  the  shoulder,  the 
arrola  is  of  a  light  and  attractive  build,  while  the  horns 
are  of  a  simple  and  graceful  form,  slanting  first  out- 
wards and  upwards,  then  bending  backwards,  after 
which  the  long  slender  points  are  directed  upwards 
and  outwards.  They  are  heavily  ringed  for  the  first 
12  inches,  after  which  they  are  quite  smooth.  In  the 
bulls  that  are  not  quite  fully  adult,  the  tips  of  the 
horns  are  directed  noticeably  inwards  and  not  out- 
wards, though  in  the  case  of  immature  femalesthis 
does  not  appear  to  be  the  case.  The  face  is  of  medium 
length,  without  any  horn  pedicle.  The  cheek  teeth 
are  large,  and  are  peculiar  in  that  there  are  only  two, 

96 


COLOUR  AND  PECULIARITIES 


instead  of  the  usual  three,  pre-molar  teeth  in  the  lower 
jaw.  The  face  glands  situated  just  below  the  eyes 
were  remarkably  developed  in  all  the  specimens  I 
shot,  and  the  pits  in  the  skull  corresponding  to  them, 
though  shallow,  are  large  (43  mm.  in  diam.).  The 
glands  are  surrounded  by  white  hairs,  and  the  central 
cavities  (which  are  on  an  average  7*5  mm.  in  diameter) 
exude  a  thick,  dark-coloured  excretion. 

This  species  is  of  a  uniform  pale  cafe-au-lait  colour, 
the  cows  being  somewhat  lighter  than  the  bulls.  The 
latter  often  become  slaty  grey  towards  the  end  of  their 
lives,  in  this  respect  being  similar  to  the  eland  {Tauro- 
tragus  oryx).  On  the  face  they  have  a  white  chevron, 
joining  the  two  white  patches  round  the  eyes.  The 
inner  surfaces  of  the  ears,  the  belly  (in  Jubaland 
specimens  at  any  rate)  and  the  tail  are  also  white. 
The  latter  is  about  18  inches  in  length,  the  lower  part 
being  sparsely  covered  with  coarse  white  hairs. 

There  is  one  peculiarity  in  the  arrola  that  I  have 
not  seen  mentioned  anywhere,  nor  have  I  noticed  it  in 
any  other  antelope  ;  they  have  a  large  roll  of  loose 
skin  underlaid  with  fat,  situated  just  behind  the  horns 
across  the  skull  between  the  ears  and  horns.  This  is 
a  very  marked  feature,  and  it  is  more  developed  in 
the  male  than  in  the  female ;  moreover,  it  is  especially 
noticeable  when  the  animals  are  in  good  condition. 
What  purpose  this  may  serve,  I  am  quite  at  a  loss  to 
say. 

I  questioned  the  natives  very  carefully  as  regards 
their  range,  and  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
they  are  not  found  west  of  longitude  400  E.,  or  north 
of  latitude  o°  35'  S.  They  do  not  inhabit  the  country 
south  of  the  Tana  River  nor  the  district  immediately 
adjacent  to  the  coast.  I  was  much  puzzled  and 
g  97 


ITS  DISTRIBUTION 


surprised  at  first  when  told  by  the  Somali  that  I  should 
find  them  to  the  west  of  the  Lorian  Swamp,  but  I 
discovered  later  that  they  apply  the  word  "  arrola " 
to  the  impalla  (sEpyceros  melampus)  as  well,  and  this 
animal  is,  of  course,  found  all  along  the  Uaso  Nyiro. 

If  the  reader  will  glance  at  the  map,  and  note  the 
range  I  have  given  to  Hunter's  hartebeeste,  he  will 
see  what  a  very  local  animal  it  is ;  and  if  it  is 
remembered  that  the  whole  of  that  country  is  practi- 
cally unadministered,  and  inhabited  by  the  most 
warlike  and  truculent  of  the  Ogaden  Somali,  it  will 
not  seem  so  strange  that  only  a  very  few  specimens 
have  ever  found  their  way  to  this  country. 

It  is  of  course  an  infallible  sign  of  ignorance  to 
attempt  to  dogmatise  on  the  habits  of  animals,  with 
which  one  has  had  but  a  month's  acquaintance.  I  saw 
ninety-seven  arrola  in  all,  and  made  careful  notes  at  the 
time  of  what  I  observed,  both  of  their  movements 
and  of  the  country  they  inhabit ;  and  I  shall  there- 
fore confine  myself  in  the  following  description  of 
their  surroundings  and  their  habits,  to  the  facts  I 
noted  down  on  the  spot  in  my  field-book,  and  to  a 
few  deductions  that  may  legitimately  be  drawn  from 
them. 

I  saw  no  arrola  outside  the  district  of  Joreh, 
though  the  natives  told  me  that  occasionally  there 
were  some  near  Goniah-iddu,  but  when  I  passed 
through  that  district  later  I  did  not  see  any  spoor. 
They  inhabit  a  country  of  small  open  plains,  covered 
with  thin  scattered  bush  alternating  with  belts  of 
dense  acacia  scrub.  In  the  early  morning  and  towards 
sunset  they  may  be  seen  in  herds  of  from  twenty  to 
thirty  animals,  feeding  on  the  coarse  grass  that  is 
generally  found  on  the  plains  ;  but  during  the  heat  of 


HORNS 


the  day,  especially  if  they  have  been  disturbed  by  the 
passing  of  natives  with  their  cattle,  they  retire  to  the 
depths  of  the  bush,  where  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
see  them,  so  close  do  they  lie.  I  have  often  crept 
along,  following  their  trail  as  quietly  and  silently  as 
possible,  only  to  find  the  place  empty  where  they  had 
been  resting,  and  whence  they  had  fled  in  alarm  at 
my  approach.  Big  as  they  are,  they  yet  make  their 
escape  without  noise,  seeming  almost  to  melt  away  in 
the  bush.  On  one  occasion  only  have  I  been  able  to 
creep  close  up  to  them  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  It 
took  me  over  three  hours  of  most  careful  stalking,  at 
times  bent  almost  double  as  I  made  my  way  through 
the  thickets,  at  others  crawling  on  hands  and  knees, 
only  to  find  that  there  was  no  head  worth  shooting, 
when  I  finally  caught  sight  of  them.  Few  people, 
who  have  not  themselves  hunted  in  the  shadeless 
scrub  of  an  East  African  desert  right  on  the  Equator, 
can  appreciate  the  difficulties  and  the  fatigue  that 
have  to  be  endured  for  days,  and  often  for  weeks, 
before  success  brings  its  reward. 

On  this  occasion,  however,  I  was  more  than  repaid 
by  the  delight  it  gave  me  to  watch  these  beautiful 
antelopes  at  close  quarters ;  they  were  quite  unaware 
of  my  presence,  without  any  suspicion  of  the  close 
proximity  of  danger.  Of  the  eleven  arrola  there, 
two  were  young  bulls  which  had  not  yet  attained 
their  full  growth,  for  the  slender  points  of  their  horns 
were  turned  inwards.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
this  sign  of  immaturity  is  also  found  in  the  impalla, 
and  is  due  to  the  rotation  of  the  horny  sheath  on  the 
bony  axis  during  growth ;  but  in  the  considerable 
number  of  female  arrola  that  I  saw,  the  inward  in- 
clination of  the  tips  in  the  young  was  never  so 

99 


A  SMALL  HERD 


pronounced  as  in  the  case  of  young  bulls.  This  may 
be  explained  perhaps  (and  I  only  offer  this  as  a 
suggestion)  by  the  fact  that  the  horns  in  the  females 
are  shorter  and  lack  the  strong  backward  bend  so 
noticeable  in  the  bulls. 

Of  the  nine  other  hartebeestes  that  completed 
the  group,  seven  were  females  and  two  calves,  of 
about  two  months  old.  During  the  month  of  January 
I  saw  several  other  young  calves,  varying  in  age 
between  a  few  days  and  two  months,  which  would 
seem  to  indicate  that  the  cows  drop  their  young 
generally  about  the  beginning  of  December,  which  is 
somewhat  earlier  than  is  the  case  with  the  Lelwel 
hartebeeste.  But  I  did  not  see  a  sufficient  number 
of  them  to  be  certain  of  this,  and  I  could  not  get  any 
reliable  evidence  from  the  two  guides  I  had  with 
me,  who  were  the  only  men  in  the  caravan  who  had 
ever  seen  them  before.  However,  one  of  the  syces 
who  came  from  the  interior  of  Italian  Somaliland 
near  the  Webbe  Shebeyli,  on  seeing  the  first  arrola 
that  I  killed,  maintained  with  the  utmost  conviction 
that  he  had  seen  similar  animals  in  his  own  country, 
but  I  think  it  almost  certain  he  was  mistaken,  although 
there  are  large  unexplored  areas  in  those  regions. 

The  majority  of  the  group  I  was  watching  were 
lying  down,  but  there  was  a  sentinel  on  guard  as 
usual.  Now  and  again  one  would  get  up,  feed  in 
a  desultory  manner  for  a  few  seconds,  and  then  lie 
down  again,  while  once,  apparently  for  no  reason, 
the  two  young  bulls  rose  simultaneously  and  started 
fighting  though  without  much  vindictiveness,  and  as 
abruptly  left  off  to  resume  their  "  siesta." 

During  the  whole  time  I  was  watching  them  they 
made  no  noise  of  any  kind,  but  when  alarmed  or 

IOO 


SHY  ANIMALS 


suspicious  they  emit  a  sound  that  is  half  sneeze,  half 
snort,  and  is  very  characteristic  of  all  the  hartebeestes. 
It  is  a  sound  that  once  heard  is  not  easily  forgotten, 
and  when  it  comes,  for  instance,  from  a  kongoni, 
which  is  a  solemn  melancholy-looking  animal,  it  is 
decidedly  comic. 

During  the  day,  if  they  have  not  been  lately 
disturbed  by  natives,  they  will  sometimes  rest  near 
their  feeding-ground,  if  any  shade  can  be  found  there. 
I  have  seen  several  old  bulls  under  a  tree  in  the  open 
at  midday,  but  rarely  any  females,  and  I  think  that 
on  the  whole  it  is  the  latter  who  are  the  more  sus- 
picious. But,  with  few  exceptions,  arrola  are  some 
of  the  shyest  and  most  wary  animals  I  have  ever 
hunted.  Mr.  A.  B.  Percival,  who  has  had  upwards 
of  twenty  years'  experience  with  big  game  in  Africa,  is 
of  the  same  opinion,  and  found  them  incredibly  hard 
to  approach  in  the  Tana  Valley,  where  he  was  hunting 
them.  They  are  not  much  alarmed  at  the  sound  of 
the  rifle,  but  the  mere  sight  of  a  man  even  at  a  great 
distance  will  send  them  flying  into  the  bush  in  the 
wildest  alarm,  and  they  will  not  halt  until  they  have 
put  a  great  distance  between  themselves  and  their 
pursuer.  This  seemed  very  strange  to  me,  as  at  any 
rate  at  Goloshe*  Gormd  it  is  improbable  that  they  had 
ever  seen  a  man  dressed  in  clothes  before.  Another 
interesting  fact  concerning  their  habits  is  that  once 
they  are  thoroughly  alarmed  they  will  not  return  to 
that  spot  for  at  least  a  week,  or  even  more.  They 
generally  trek  off  to  some  other  small  plain,  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  away,  and  seem  to  remain  uneasy  and 
very  much  on  the  qui  vive  for  days  afterwards,  as 
I  found  to  my  own  cost. 

Old  bulls  generally  lead  a  solitary  life,  or  may 

IOI 


DESERT  DWELLERS 


associate  with  one  or  two  others  of  the  same  age  ; 
it  is  these  animals  that  carry  by  far  the  finest  horns, 
although  in  extreme  old  age  the  tips  may  be  worn 
away. 

Arrola  are  essentially  desert  dwellers,  and  are 
as  a  rule  found  at  a  considerable  distance  from  a 
permanent  water-supply,  though  an  exception  must, 
of  course,  be  made  in  the  case  of  the  herds  that 
inhabit  the  Tana  Valley  ;  in  the  rainy  season  there 
is  a  quantity  of  water  in  the  shallow  pans  that  are 
so  plentiful  in  Jubaland,  but  these  soon  evaporate 
and  are  dry  for  at  least  six  months  in  the  year. 
What  they  do  then  for  water  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
understand,  but  it  seems  probable  that  when  the 
pools  have  given  out  entirely  they  may  find  sufficient 
moisture  in  the  heavy  dews  that  fall  nightly,  and 
in  the  coarse  grass  that  forms  their  principal  food. 
Lesser  kudu,  which  are  numerous  in  Joreh,  are 
very  partial  to  the  succulent  leaves  of  the  aloes,  but 
I  failed  to  find  any  traces  of  this  plant  in  the  stomachs 
of  the  arrola  I  shot,  and  I  am  inclined  to  doubt 
whether  they  ever  indulge  in  this  diet. 

In  some  books  the  Galla  name  for  Hunter's 
hartebeeste  is  given  as  "  Blanketta,"  and  sometimes 
as  "  Herola,"  while  the  Somali  are  said  to  call  it 
"  Aroli."  Personally  I  have  never  heard  them  called 
anything  but  "  Arrola " ;  and  Somali,  Galla  and 
Waboni,  when  speaking  of  them,  even  to  each  other, 
have  always  referred  to  them  thus,  at  any  rate  when 
I  have  been  present. 


102 


CHAPTER  IX 

HUNTING  IN  JOREH 

The  day  after  the  dance  had  taken  place,  I  left  early 
with  two  new  guides  supplied  to  me  by  the  headman 
of  the  village,  who  seemed  confident  that  they  could 
show  me  Hunter's  hartebeeste.  We  marched  at  first 
through  a  kind  of  meadow-land  with  big  trees  here 
and  there,  and  when  the  sun  had  risen,  but  while 
everything  was  still  glittering  with  dew,  we  came 
upon  another  Maghabul  village,  the  last  we  were 
to  see  for  some  time,  as  we  were  going  into  an 
uninhabited  country.  There  were  many  marabou 
storks  about,  so  tame  that  I  had  no  difficulty  in 
walking  close  up  to  one  and  shooting  it.  These 
hideous  birds,  who  feed  on  all  the  offal  from  the 
village,  are  only  valuable  because  of  the  beautiful 
feathers  they  carry  under  the  tail.  The  latter  are 
worth  about  £\2  an  ounce,  but,  large  though  the 
birds  are,  they  only  possess  very  few  of  the  precious 
feathers,  and  it  would  take  six  birds  to  yield  one 
ounce.  At  the  sound  of  the  gun  three  flocks  of  teal 
rose  from  a  pool  which  I  had  not  noticed,  and  flew 
over  to  another  a  short  distance  away.  I  managed  to 
bring  down  two  as  they  passed  overhead,  and  then, 
as  I  needed  food,  I  crept  down  to  the  edge  of  the 
swamp,  and,  taking  a  pot-shot,  killed  four  more  as 
they  were  swimming  about.  Two  were  skinned  and 
added  to  my  bird  collection,  while  the  others  I 
decided  to  eat  in  due  course. 

103 


THE  FATE  OF  A  GERENUK 

In  the  meantime  the  headman  of  the  village, 
a  venerable  old  Somali  with  white  hair  and  beard, 
came  out  with  lots  of  milk,  insisted  on  all  my  men 
drinking  their  fill,  and  would  take  nothing  in  return. 
I  must  say  that  nothing  could  be  more  hospitable 
than  the  welcome  I  had  so  far  received  from  the 
natives.  We  then  proceeded  for  a  couple  of  hours 
through  the  same  pleasant  kind  of  open  bush  until 
we  reached  a  little  pool,  covered  with  mauve  and 
white  water-lilies  [Nymphcea  stellata).  The  water 
it  contained,  however,  was  very  nasty,  and  full  of 
slime,  so  I  did  not  stop  here,  but  marched  on  and 
soon  entered  a  large  open  plain  covered  with  yellow 
brown  grass  and  some  scattered  bush.  The  heat 
was  now  growing  intense,  yet  presently  I  saw  a 
gerenuk  buck  feeding  right  out  in  the  open,  and 
as  he  carried  nice  horns  I  decided  to  shoot  him. 
Taking  advantage  of  every  little  piece  of  cover  that 
offered,  and  keeping  in  the  shadows  wherever 
possible,  I  managed  to  get  within  100  yards  of 
him,  while  he  was  yet  unaware  of  my  presence ; 
then,  taking  careful  aim,  I  fired  and  heard  the  bullet 
clap  loudly.  The  gerenuk  made  a  wild  dash  past 
me  and  into  the  bush  beyond.  Here  I  lost  him, 
although  I  spent  fully  an  hour  searching,  and  at  last 
I  gave  him  up,  although  I  knew  he  must  be  lying 
dead  quite  close.  I  was  much  disappointed,  but  as 
there  was  nothing  else  to  be  done,  I  marched  on  for 
a  little  way  till  I  reached  a  dried-up  swamp. 

Here  the  guides  recommended  me  to  camp,  as 
they  thought  there  would  be  game  near  by ;  so  I 
chose  a  big  tree  under  which  my  tent  was  pitched, 
and  gave  orders  to  my  headman  to  give  out  water 
to  the  men  and  then  send  back  two  camels  with  the 

104 


Oryx  beisa.  ? 


Standing  from  left  to  right  :  (i)  my  orderly  in  the  uniform  of  the  East  African  Police,  (ii)  my  gun- 
bearer,  a  Swahili.     Kneeling  :  the  skinner,  an  A-kamba,  and  the  interpreter,  a  Somali. 


A  FAMILY  PARTY 


four  empty  tanks  to  fill  up  at  the  last  pool.  At 
twelve  o'clock  I  sat  down  to  lunch,  and  was  just  think- 
ing over  my  hard  luck  in  losing  the  gerenuk,  when 
my  eye  was  caught  by  the  sight  of  several  vultures 
hovering  over  the  bush  in  the  direction  from  which 
we  had  come.  So  I  immediately  sent  one  of  my 
guides  to  see  if  he  could  find  what  had  attracted 
them,  and  told  some  porters  to  go  with  him.  Sure 
enough  in  less  than  an  hour  they  were  back  with 
the  little  that  remained  of  the  buck,  for  the  birds  had 
completely  ruined  the  skin.  I  was  delighted,  how- 
ever, as  the  horns  were  uninjured,  and  they  proved 
to  be  a  fine  pair,  heavy  and  symmetrical. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  I  left  camp  in  search  of 
game  ;  for  a  long  time  I  saw  nothing,  but  at  last 
discovered  a  family  party  of  gerenuk,  buck,  doe  and 
calf,  resting  in  the  shade  of  a  bush.  I  was  again 
favoured  by  the  wind  and  plenty  of  cover,  and 
approached  to  within  90  yards,  when  I  stumbled 
over  a  branch.  The  gerenuk  whipped  round  in 
alarm,  so  seizing  the  opportunity  I  took  rapid  aim, 
and  made  an  excellent  shot  as  he  was  almost  facing 
me.  The  bullet  entered  the  front  of  the  shoulder  and 
lodged  just  under  the  skin  near  the  hip,  mushroom- 
ing perfectly  and  making  a  terrible  wound.  The  buck 
was  in  beautiful  condition,  and  carried  a  handsome 
pair  of  horns,  so  I  decided  to  take  the  whole  skin.  I 
was  very  much  gratified  with  my  success  in  getting 
two  nice  specimens  from  this  district,  and  began  to 
think  that,  after  all,  the  guide  was  not  far  wrong  in 
describing  Joreh  as  a  hunter's  paradise. 

I  decided  I  would  go  on  a  little  farther,  although 
it  was  growing  late,  in  the  hope  of  seeing  arrola, 
which  my  guide  insisted  were  to  be  found  on  these 

105 


HARTEBEESTE  AND  ZEBRA 


plains  ;  but  I  saw  nothing,  and  was  just  thinking  of 
turning  back  when  I  saw  some  animals  standing 
under  a  tree.  We  all  immediately  crouched  down, 
and  my  gun-bearer  with  his  usual  idiotic  self-assurance 
whispered  '  '  Water-buck  !  "  But  I  knew  better;  they 
were  the  longed-for  Hunter's  hartebeeste,  and  with 
them  a  solitary  zebra.  Now,  being  somewhat  ex- 
cited, I  did  not  sufficiently  consider  the  lie  of  the 
ground  before  beginning  the  stalk,  and  when,  after 
great  exertions,  I  managed  to  get  within  1 50  yards, 
I  found  the  sun,  which  was  low  on  the  western 
horizon,  right  in  my  eyes,  and  the  glare  upon  the 
sights  made  accurate  shooting  extremely  difficult. 
My  first  shot  was  low,  breaking  the  back  leg  of 
a  buck.  They  all  dashed  off,  and  though  I  fired 
three  other  shots  I  missed  terribly  badly. 

They  seemed  at  first  quite  bewildered,  moving 
round  and  round,  unable  to  see  me  hidden  under  a 
bush,  but  while  I  was  reloading  they  caught  sight 
of  my  men  in  the  distance  and  immediately  made  off, 
as  I  thought  for  good.  I  took  up  the  spoor  at  a  trot, 
for  it  was  easily  followed  in  the  soft  sand.  Just  as 
the  sun,  a  glowing  disc  of  deepest  red,  was  sinking 
over  the  trees,  I  came  upon  them  once  more,  and, 
resting  my  rifle  against  a  branch,  fired  at  the  only 
one  I  saw  clearly.  The  sound  of  the  bullet  told  me 
that  I  had  made  a  well-placed  shot,  and  I  dashed 
forward  as  I  saw  the  poor  brute  make  a  desperate 
spurt  and  pitch  head  foremost  to  the  ground. 

She  proved  to  be  a  young  cow,  with  small  but 
wonderfully  symmetrical  horns.  Her  sleek,  coffee- 
coloured  coat  was  soft  as  silk,  and  she  was  in  the 
height  of  condition.  The  lower  part  of  the  tail,  the 
under  parts  and  the  inverted  chevron  between  the 

106 


THE  MAGHABUL  SULTAN  S  UNCLE 


eyes  were  white,  while  the  muzzle  was  a  rich  dark 
brown.  We  did  not  reach  camp  till  long  after  dark. 
I  was  delighted  with  my  success  and  gave  out 
sufficient  coffee  for  all  my  followers,  which  pleased 
them  greatly.  They  spent  the  evening  in  singing  and 
dancing,  and  kept  this  up  throughout  the  night. 

After  dinner  a  very  old  man,  the  uncle  of  the 
Maghabul  Sultan,  who  had  arrived  in  the  afternoon, 
after  a  thirty-mile  walk,  came  to  my  tent  and  told  me 
that  another  chief,  Abdi  Aden  by  name,  was  coming 
the  following  day  in  order  that  I  might  be  able  to 
discuss  with  him  the  best  routes  from  here  to  the 
Lorian,  and  then,  if  possible,  he  would  provide  me 
with  guides  to  replace  those  I  had  taken  from  Guratti, 
who  were  anxious  to  return. 

The  following  morning,  before  dawn,  I  had 
reached  the  plains  where  I  had  seen  the  arrola.  For 
a  long  while  I  saw  nothing,  until  at  last  my  gun-bearer 
pointed  out  something  moving  among  the  bushes.  I 
crept  forward  and  saw  between  the  branches  a  dark 
piece  of  skin  striped  with  white,  but  could  not  at 
first  make  out  what  the  animal  was.  I  moved  on 
hands  and  knees  to  the  left  and  shortly  saw,  not  80 
yards  away,  the  head  and  horns  of  a  lesser  kudu 
(Strepsiceros  imberbis),  at  which  I  promptly  fired,  and 
brought  him  crashing  to  the  ground  with  a  broken 
neck.  On  coming  up  to  where  he  lay,  I  was  struck 
with  the  great  beauty  of  these  antelopes.  Indeed,  I 
think  they  are  the  most  handsome  I  have  ever  seen. 
Their  glossy  coat  is  of  a  grey  fawn  colour,  and  the 
face  is  black  with  white  spots  on  the  neck.  The 
body  is  fully  striped  with  white,  and  the  throat  is  also 
white,  while  the  tail  is  short  and  covered  with  long 
hairs  like  that  of  a  bushbuck. 

107 


LESSER  KUDU 


It  is  strange  how  perverse  things  are  sometimes. 
All  through  the  districts  of  Guranlagga  and  northern 
Joreh  I  was  on  the  look-out  for  them  every  day,  for 
that  country  is  especially  adapted  to  their  habits  ;  for 
lesser  kudu  are  generally  found  near  water  in  thick 
bush,  especially  where  there  are  aloes ;  but  there  was 
never  one  to  be  seen,  As  soon,  however,  as  I  had 
reached  a  more  open  country  typical  of  the  true  East 
African  desert,  with  no  water  for  several  miles  at 
least,  I  saw  two  and  killed  one.  The  other  was  a 
doe,  and  this  one  a  young  buck  full-grown,  but  with 
horns  which  had  not  yet  reached  their  maximum 
length.  I  sent  to  camp  for  a  camel  to  bring  him  back, 
and  after  I  had  photographed  the  kudu  I  went  on 
again,  walking  across  open  bush  country,  and  keeping 
a  sharp  look-out  all  the  time.  Not  long  after  I  saw 
a  fine  bull  arrola,  but  he  unfortunately  had  got  my 
wind  and  was  looking  fixedly  in  my  direction.  I 
stood  motionless  for  about  five  minutes,  but  he  was 
highly  suspicious  and,  turning,  trotted  off  into  the 
bush.  I  only  saw  him  once  more,  when  I  took  a  long 
shot,  but  missed  completely,  and  he  went  off"  at  a 
clumsy  gallop,  and  though  I  walked  through  the  bush 
for  two  solid  hours  on  his  trail  I  could  not  even  get 
another  glimpse  of  him.  From  the  way  he  ran  and 
from  the  uneven  spoor  he  left,  I  believe,  and  my 
orderly  thought  so  too,  he  was  the  buck  whose  leg  I 
broke  the  day  before. 

Finally  I  returned  to  camp  very  weary,  and  after 
lunch  had  an  interminable  discussion  with  Abdi  Aden 
and  two  other  chiefs  that  had  come  with  him.  I 
thought  I  should  never  be  able  to  get  rid  of  them, 
but  he  was  exceedingly  friendly  and  promised  to 
accompany  me  to  the  Sultan's  village.    Thence  he 

1 08 


A  SATISFACTORY  INTERVIEW 


said  I  should  be  able  to  reach  the  Lak  Dera  and 
follow  that  up  to  the  Lorian.  I  had  never  imagined 
for  a  moment  that  I  should  be  able  to  go  that  way, 
for  not  only  is  the  country  absolutely  unknown,  but 
its  inhabitants  are  reputed  to  be  the  least  friendly 
and  most  truculent  of  all  the  Ogaden  Somali. 

I  had  anticipated  a  complete  refusal  on  the  part 
of  the  natives  to  allow  me  to  do  so,  and  had  intended 
to  go  by  way  of  the  Tana  Valley.  But  as  the  latter 
had  been  explored  previously,  it  would  not  have  been 
nearly  so  interesting,  although  game  would  have  been 
much  more  plentiful.  Abdi  Aden  told  me  that  he 
believed  the  Lorian  to  be  thirty  marches  by  this  new 
route  through  bush  the  whole  way,  but  with  water  to 
be  found,  as  rains  were  reported  to  have  been  plentiful. 
The  question  of  water,  game  and  roads  was  thrashed 
out  over  and  over  again  in  all  its  bearings,  and  he 
assured  me  of  a  warm  welcome  in  his  country,  so  the 
interview  was  on  the  whole  very  satisfactory  ;  but  I 
decided  that  I  would  stay  in  this  vicinity  for  another 
week  in  order  to  obtain  more  specimens  of  arrola  and 
other  animals  that  I  might  find. 

For  the  next  few  days  I  hunted  with  varying 
success.  The  country  I  traversed  was  in  parts  ex- 
ceedingly fertile,  consisting  of  rich  meadow-lands 
with  long  green  grass  and  shady  trees.  These  were 
separated  from  each  other  by  dense  belts  of  the  more 
familiar  acacia  scrub,  and  it  was  thither  that  the 
animals  retired  to  rest  during  the  heat  of  the  day, 
only  coming  out  to  feed  in  the  little  plains  in  the  early 
morning  and  towards  sundown.  One  afternoon  a 
syce,  who  had  been  on  guard  while  the  camels 
grazed,  reported  having  seen  five  arrola  in  the  bush, 
so  off  I  started  in  a  broiling  sun  and  began  hunting 

109 


VARYING  SUCCESS 


carefully.  The  time  went  on,  but  though  I  saw  some 
gerenuk  I  did  not  fire,  for  fear  of  frightening  more 
important  game.  At  about  five  I  was  making  my 
way,  very  carefully  as  usual,  through  extremely  dense 
thorn-scrub  towards  a  small  swamp  which  my  guide 
had  found,  when  suddenly  I  heard  a  snort  right  in 
front  of  me,  and  the  crashing  of  heavy  bodies  through 
the  bush.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  six  arrola  galloping 
away,  and  although  I  was  afraid  it  would  be  useless 
I  made  a  wide  detour  as  fast  as  I  could  go,  and  by 
and  by  made  them  out  in  the  distance ;  but  they  were 
very  nervous  and  uneasy,  and  before  I  could  get  a  shot 
they  were  off  again,  led  by  a  cow  and  a  little  calf. 
They  did  not  rest  again,  and  though  I  followed  on  the 
spoor  for  half  an  hour  I  was  unable  to  catch  them  up. 

I  then  climbed  a  tree  to  see  if  I  could  detect  my 
gun-bearer,  guide  or  orderly,  whom  I  had  left  behind 
when  I  began  the  stalk,  but  they  were  nowhere  to  be 
seen ;  but  under  a  large  yak  tree  to  the  south  I  saw 
a  topi  feeding.  So  I  came  down  and  started  towards 
him,  but  I  had  not  seen  some  others,  and  a  frightened 
snort  on  my  right  made  me  crouch  down  behind  a 
bush.  Just  then  another  topi  showed  behind  a  tree 
about  1 50  yards  away,  so  I  took  a  quick  shot  and 
heard  the  bullet  hit.  I  ran  forward  and  saw  the 
whole  herd  disappear  in  the  bush,  the  one  I  had 
wounded  being  last  and  apparently  in  difficulties. 
I  followed  him  for  some  time,  but  could  not  find  him, 
and,  as  the  sun  was  now  very  low,  struck  out  in 
a  north-westerly  direction  where  I  thought  camp 
was. 

Greatly  to  my  relief  some  ten  minutes  later  I 
heard  my  orderly  whistling  for  me,  and  calling  back 
in  answer  I  soon  found  him,  and  some  thirty  minutes 

1 10 


DIFFICULT  HUNTING 


after  reached  camp,  which  was  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion to  that  in  which  I  had  been  walking.  This  shows 
how  extraordinarily  easy  it  is  to  lose  one's  way  in  the 
bush,  where  there  are  no  landmarks  of  any  kind  to 
guide  one.  The  Somali  get  lost  quite  often,  but  they 
generally  cut  marks  on  all  the  big  trees  which  direct 
the  real  bushman,  but  convey  nothing  to  the  others. 

I  had  many  such  unsuccessful  days,  for  hunting 
in  Jubaland  is  particularly  difficult,  and  weeks  may  be 
consumed  before  success  at  last  crowns  your  efforts. 
On  another  occasion  I  left  camp  long  before  dawn, 
and  reached  a  large  plain  half  an  hour  later.  Here  I 
waited  till  the  first  streaks  of  light  were  apparent  in 
the  east,  when,  leaving  everyone  but  the  guide  under 
a  tree,  I  started  out  on  foot.  I  had  not  gone  half  a 
mile,  when  in  the  dim  light  I  made  out  a  small  herd 
of  topi,  who  saw  me  at  the  same  instant,  and  faced 
round  sneezing  and  stamping.  I  immediately  sank 
down  into  the  grass  out  of  sight,  as  it  was  too  dark  to 
shoot ;  and  then  began  rather  a  curious  wait.  I  lay 
on  my  back  on  the  burned  grass  and  watched  the 
light  increasing  and  the  soft  fleecy  clouds  growing 
rosy  as  dawn  broke,  and  all  around  me  I  could 
hear  the  sneeze,  sneeze  of  the  topi,  with  now  and 
then  a  grunt  and  a  snort ;  but  they  did  not  run  away 
immediately,  for  their  curiosity  was  greater  than  their 
fear. 

It  was  extraordinarily  peaceful  and  I  thoroughly 
enjoyed  the  half-hour  that  passed  before  these  sounds 
died  away,  and  I  knew  I  could  get  up  and  follow  the 
herd.  But  to  cut  a  long  story  short,  I  never  got  a 
shot;  they  were  thoroughly  frightened,  and  finally  I 
lost  them  completely.  So  I  gave  up  the  chase  and 
rejoined  my  men  where  I  had  left  them. 

1 1 1 


A  FINE  HERD 


We  then  proceeded  eastward  for  about  five  miles, 
when  I  suddenly  spotted  in  the  shadows  a  couple  of 
topi  resting  under  a  tree  ;  motioning  the  others  to  lie 
down  I  went  on  alone,  determined  to  get  one  this 
time.  As  long  as  game  can  be  seen  in  this  kind  of 
country,  before  they  are  aware  of  the  proximity  of 
danger,  it  is  generally  possible  to  get  within  very 
short  range,  but  it  means  constant  watchfulness  and 
very  careful  walking.  I  made  a  good  stalk,  and 
finally  crawling  round  a  bush  saw,  not  35  yards 
away  (for  I  paced  it  afterwards),  a  herd  of  twenty- 
three  topi,  some  feeding,  others  resting.  It  was  a 
beautiful  sight ;  their  coats  glistened  in  the  early 
morning  sunlight,  the  purple  patches  showing  clearly 
on  face  and  shoulder  against  the  buff  of  the  body 
colour ;  they  were  motionless  save  for  the  twitch- 
ing of  their  tails  to  and  fro  as  the  flies  bothered 
them,  and  were  quite  unconscious  of  my  presence. 
I  watched  them  for  a  minute  or  so,  and  then,  choosing 
the  one  with  the  biggest  horns,  shot  it  through  the 
neck,  killing  it  stone  dead.  It  proved  to  be  a  large 
cow,  with  fine  heavy  horns,  nineteen  and  a  quarter 
inches  in  length. 

After  I  had  photographed  it  and  had  sent  back 
a  man  to  fetch  a  camel,  in  order  to  carry  the  meat 
back  to  camp,  I  went  on  again  in  search  of  arrola. 
Just  before  noon  I  reached  a  thick  belt  of  forest,  with 
a  most  lovely  pool  of  water  among  the  trees.  It  was 
the  first  clear  water  I  had  seen  since  leaving  Kismayu, 
and  though  it  was  stained  a  deep  brown,  from  the 
roots  of  the  surrounding  trees,  it  was  cool  and  sweet 
to  the  taste.  My  guide  told  me  that  this  was  a  well- 
known  game  resort,  and  was  called  by  the  natives 
Jana  Nyeri ;   so  I  decided  to  camp  here,  and  sent 

112 


GIRAFFES 


back  a  man  with  a  message  to  my  headman,  telling 
him  to  strike  camp  and  make  his  way  here  without 
loss  of  time.  I  had  now  been  on  the  move  since 
five  o'clock,  and  since  it  was  too  far  and  too  hot  to 
go  back  with  a  messenger  to  camp,  I  decided  to  do 
without  lunch,  as  I  had  nothing  with  me,  and  rest 
here.  So,  stretching  out  my  saddle  blankets  in  the 
cool  shade  of  one  of  the  enormous  trees  that  over- 
hung the  pool,  I  lay  down  and  was  soon  asleep,  and 
did  not  wake  again  till  two  o'clock. 

After  a  pipe  and  a  drink  of  water  I  set  out  once 
more,  although  the  heat  was  intense.  Old  elephant 
tracks  were  numerous,  and  giraffes'  spoor,  fresh  and 
otherwise,  crossed  our  path  in  every  direction.  The 
country  here  is  indeed  beautiful ;  in  the  rich  pasture- 
lands  there  are  conifers  and  mimosas  to  afford  pleasant 
resting-places,  while  there  is  plenty  of  water  and  less 
moisture  in  the  atmosphere,  probably  because  the 
altitude  is  some  200  odd  feet  above  sea-level.  After 
marching  for  a  little  over  two  hours  I  came  across  a 
troop  of  twelve  giraffes  quietly  feeding  on  the  green 
leaves  of  a  mimosa  tree.  I  got  up  quite  close  and 
watched  them  for  half  an  hour.  As  luck  would  have 
it,  I  had  finished  the  last  plate  in  my  camera,  so  I 
again  could  not  photograph  them  ;  suddenly  there 
was  a  slight  puff  of  wind  from  behind,  a  startled 
movement  among  the  giraffes,  and  they  were  off  at 
their  curious  undulating  gallop,  and  were  soon 
swallowed  up  in  the  bush.  On  my  way  back  to 
camp  I  shot  a  couple  of  francolin  and  a  dik-dik,  so  I 
was  well  off  for  food.  On  my  return  to  the  water- 
hole  I  found  the  camels  had  just  arrived ;  within  an 
hour  I  had  had  a  most  refreshing  bath,  and  sat  down 
with  a  ravenous  appetite  to  an  excellent  dinner. 
h  113 


CHAPTER  X 

MORE  ARROLA  AND  A  NEW  ZEBRA 

My  first  day's  hunting  from  Jana  Nyeri  was  quite 
successful.  I  left  in  the  early  morning  on  foot 
towards  the  east,  and  we  crossed  the  belt  of  bush  or 
forest  which  surrounded  the  water-hole  by  a  kind  of 
tunnel  about  4  feet  high,  and  then  passing  across  a 
plain  entered  once  more  the  thin  thorn-scrub  which 
had  that  very  desolate  aspect  so  characteristic  of 
Jubaland.  Giraffes'  spoor  was  exceedingly  common, 
and  I  was  not  surprised  soon  afterwards  to  see  one  of 
these  animals,  but  it  was  already  in  full  flight.  By 
and  by  I  reached  some  more  open  bush,  but  no 
game  could  be  seen  at  all,  and  it  was  not  until  we 
had  passed  another  belt  of  extremely  dense  thorn- 
scrub,  and  were  about  to  enter  a  small  open  glade, 
that  the  guide  who  was  walking  in  front  of  me 
suddenly  crouched  down,  whispering  "  fer'ro,"  which 
is  the  Somali  word  for  zebra.  And  sure  enough  I 
saw,  on  looking  cautiously  through  a  bush,  a  zebra 
feeding  under  some  mimosa  trees  in  the  middle  of  a 
small  open  plain.  There  was  not  a  breath  of  wind, 
so  choosing  that  part  of  the  bush  towards  which  he 
was  slowly  grazing,  I  crept  in  and  out  well  within  the 
scrub,  bent  double,  as  it  was  too  thick  to  walk,  until 
I  had  reached  the  place  I  had  previously  chosen ; 
there  I  crept  on  hands  and  knees  till  I  reached  the 

114 


AN  UNCOMMON  ZEBRA 


edge,  where,  making  myself  comfortable,  I  settled 
down  to  wait  with  my  rifle  in  my  hand.  I  was 
wearing  a  pair  of  thick  corduroy  trousers,  but  they 
afforded  me  no  protection  from  the  thorns,  and  the 
puggaree  of  my  felt  hat  was  torn  to  ribbons. 

As  I  cautiously  looked  out  I  saw  a  most  interest- 
ing scene,  five  zebra  in  all  were  feeding  quietly  and 
slowly  towards  me,  now  and  then  looking  up  but 
quite  unconscious  of  danger.  They  were  led  by  an 
old  stallion  whose  body  and  ears  were  much  scarred 
by  fighting.  At  last  he  left  the  others,  and,  ceasing  to 
feed,  walked  up  under  a  mimosa  tree  and  stood  still, 
not  80  yards  off.  His  appearance,  even  at  that  dis- 
tance, seemed  different  from  the  zebra  I  had  shot 
previously  in  East  Africa.  In  size  he  resembled 
Grant's  zebra,  so  commonly  seen  on  the  highlands, 
but  the  arrangement  of  stripes  was  unfamiliar  to  me. 
Moreover,  I  had  expected  to  find  Grevy's  zebra  in 
these  regions. 

Mr.  Lydekker  states  in  his  book  on  The  Game- 
Animals  of  Africa,  that  the  latter  species  range  from 
the  Tana  River  into  Abyssinia,  and  the  game-ranger 
in  Nairobi,  Mr.  R.  B.  Woosnam,  had  corroborated 
this  statement.  As  the  zebra  drew  nearer  and  nearer 
my  excitement  grew,  till  I  was  afraid  I  should  not 
be  able  to  hold  my  rifle  steady,  but  at  last,  as  the 
foremost  was  within  70  yards  of  my  hiding-place,  and 
halted  for  a  moment,  I  raised  my  rifle  cautiously, 
aiming  at  his  neck.  I  was  too  close  to  hear  the 
bullet  strike,  but  saw  him  drop  like  a  log.  The 
others  seemed  to  vanish  into  the  bush,  so  small  was 
the  little  plain  in  which  they  were.  I  had  no  time 
to  shoot  again,  and  never  saw  them  more.  I  ran 
forward  and  carefully  looked  him  over.    He  proved 

"5 


ABSENCE  OF  MANE 


to  be  a  very  old  stallion,  much  scarred,  but  fat,  and 
sure  enough  his  appearance  was  in  many  respects 
different  from  the  forms  with  which  I  was  ac- 
quainted. 

Among  several  other  points,  which  I  noted  at 
the  time,  was  the  curious  arrangement  of  the  stripes 
on  the  back ;  the  total  lack  of  any  mane,  as  though 
the  neck  had  been  carefully  clipped ;  the  full  and 
bushy  tail,  distinctly  ringed  on  the  upper  portion  ; 
the  white  ears  ;  the  legs  fully  striped  down  to  the 
hoof,  in  which  it  differs  from  E.  b.  granti,  the  lower 
portion  of  whose  legs  is  black ;  the  narrow  dorsal 
stripe  and  the  presence  of  three  faint  shadow  stripes 
on  the  thighs.  In  a  subsequent  chapter  I  intend  to 
deal  more  fully  with  the  characteristics  of  this  animal, 
which  has  proved  to  be  a  new  race  of  zebra,  closely 
allied  to  the  E.  b.  granti,  which  is  typically  found  on 
the  Athi  Plains. 

After  carefully  photographing  him  in  several 
positions,  I  measured  him  and  finally  told  my  men 
to  skin  him.  Two  things  then  happened  that  might 
have  resulted  in  serious  accidents.  First,  in  getting 
out  my  pipe  from  the  deep  and  narrow  holster  on 
my  saddle  I  got  my  hand  caught,  the  mule  got  scared 
as  I  tugged  to  get  free,  the  stupid  syce  pulled  on 
his  bridle  and  made  him  worse,  and  I  found  myself 
being  dragged  along,  my  wrist  bent  and  almost 
breaking  from  the  strain,  and  my  right  shoulder 
somehow  in  the  mule's  mouth !  I  shouted  to  the 
syce  to  let  go  the  bridle,  and  then  I  gradually  quieted 
the  mule,  which  was  frantic  with  fear,  and  worked 
my  hand  free.  The  whole  affair  only  lasted  a  minute 
or  so,  but  it  was  very  unpleasant  for  the  time  being, 
and  my  shoulder  showed  the  teeth-marks  plainly  for 

116 


SKINNING  THE  ZEBRA 


days  afterwards.  Indeed,  the  men  I  had  with  me  that 
day  were  the  most  incompetent  it  has  ever  been  my 
misfortune  to  deal  with. 

My  skinner  was  in  camp,  looking  after  the  trophies 
I  had  lately  obtained  :  neither  my  gun-bearer  nor 
guide,  nor  any  of  the  other  porters  I  had  with  me 
had  the  haziest  notion  of  how  to  undertake  the  work 
of  skinning  so  large  an  animal  as  a  zebra.  I  sat 
down  at  first  under  a  tree  to  have  a  quiet  smoke, 
but  soon  got  tired  of  watching  their  inefficient  attempts, 
and  since  I  was  afraid  that  they  would  damage  the 
skin,  I  pushed  them  aside  and  completed  the  job 
myself.  I  skinned  the  whole  of  that  zebra  in  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour,  under  a  broiling  sun,  alone,  with 
my  gun-bearer  only  helping  by  holding  on  when  I 
told  him.  At  the  time  I  was  not  a  little  proud  of 
this  feat,  especially  as  right  at  the  beginning,  my 
hands  being  slippery  with  sweat,  and  my  knife  with 
blood,  I  cut  the  inside  of  my  thumb  to  the  bone, 
making  a  fearful  gash  which  gave  me  some  trouble, 
until  at  length  I  managed  to  stanch  the  flow  of  blood. 

After  this  I  went  on  for  some  time,  through  a 
country  which  alternated  between  little  open  plains 
and  patches  of  acacia  scrub,  but,  seeing  nothing  further, 
returned  to  camp  about  midday.  As  I  was  having 
lunch,  a  porter,  who  had  gone  down  to  the  pool  to 
fetch  water,  came  in  and  reported  that  he  had  seen 
a  herd  of  topi  quite  close,  so  I  went  off  in  search  of 
them,  and  not  long  after  spotted  them  resting  under 
a  clump  of  trees.  The  lie  of  the  ground  and  the 
direction  from  which  the  wind  was  blowing  were  all 
in  my  favour,  and  I  got  to  within  a  very  short 
distance  of  where  the  foremost  stood.    This  o-ood 

o 

stalk  was  spoiled  by  a  lamentable  shot.    They  immedi- 

117 


JUBALAND  GERENUK 


ately  dashed  off,  but  by  a  most  colossal  fluke  I  hit 
a  young  bull  in  the  neck  as  the  herd  galloped  past 
me,  and  he  turned  head  over  heels  like  a  rabbit. 

After  sending  the  meat  back  to  camp,  I  turned 
westward  and,  on  reaching  a  large  plain  some  five 
miles  farther  on,  I  saw  the  same  herd  of  arrola  from 
which  I  had  shot  a  cow  a  few  days  previously.  They 
were  very  much  on  the  alert,  however,  and  very  sus- 
picious of  danger.  Cover  was  scarce  and  the  breeze 
fickle,  so  that  I  was  unable  to  get  anywhere  within 
range,  and  finally  lost  them  altogether. 

Much  disappointed,  I  made  my  way  back  to  camp, 
and,  as  I  entered  the  valley  of  Jana  Nyeri,  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  a  gerenuk  feeding.  Although  I  got  very 
close  to  him  I  missed  badly  with  my  first  shot,  but 
broke  his  neck  with  the  second  before  he  had  time 
to  escape.  No  gerenuk  seemed  to  have  very  big 
horns  in  Jubaland.  They  averaged  from  twelve 
inches  to  fourteen  inches,  although  three  out  of  the 
four  that  I  had  killed  were  solitary  bucks  fully  adult, 
and  one  even  of  great  age.  As  is  the  case  with 
nearly  all  antelopes,  it  is  the  old  bucks  that  always 
carry  the  finest  horns,  herd  bulls  being  generally 
younger  animals,  whose  horns  have  not  yet  attained 
their  maximum  development.  In  bodily  size,  how- 
ever, the  gerenuk  I  killed  in  Jubaland  were  not 
noticeably  smaller  than  those  inhabiting  the  country 
farther  west  on  the  banks  of  the  Uaso  Nyiro. 

In  direct  contrast  to  the  success  which  attended 
my  efforts  at  first,  the  rest  of  my  stay  at  Jana  Nyeri 
was  marked  by  unrelieved  failure.  Principally  due 
to  bad  shooting,  but  also  to  the  fact  that  the  solitary 
herd  of  arrola  inhabiting  this  district  were  growing 
ever  more  suspicious,  I  was  unable,  during  my  last 

118 


A  NEW  GUIDE 


four  days,  to  locate  the  herd  at  all.  In  fact,  it 
was  only  on  the  third  day  that  I  ever  got  near 
them  or  had  the  remotest  chance  of  success.  Up  at 
five,  I  reached  the  plains  before  dawn,  and  soon  sighted 
the  same  herd,  whose  individual  members  I  was  now 
beginning  to  recognise  quite  easily.  Then  began  a 
most  exasperating  stalk,  that  lasted  four  hours ;  time 
and  time  again,  with  the  help  of  a  guide,  I  thought 
that  I  should  be  able  to  approach  close  enough  to 
get  a  shot,  but  invariably  when  I  emerged  from  the 
bush  the  game  was  gone ;  and  finally,  at  ten  o'clock, 
we  lost  them  altogether,  and  though  I  searched  for 
them  most  diligently  until  long  after  noon,  I  had  to 
return,  empty-handed  and  disappointed  once  more, 
to  camp. 

Here  I  was  informed  that  Abdi  Aden  had  arrived 
and  had  brought  me  a  new  guide  to  take  me  farther 
west.  He  very  generously  presented  me  with  some 
fine  wooden  pillows  and  hair  combs,  which  made  a 
valuable  addition  to  my  ethnological  collection.  He 
was  delighted  with  a  present  of  a  full  " tobe  "  of 
bufta,  a  brilliant  loin-cloth,  a  coloured  piece  of  silk 
and  some  coffee,  which  I  gave  him  in  return  ;  but  his 
father-in-law,  who  accompanied  him,  on  receiving  his 
piece  of  calico  (which,  I  must  say,  was  a  little  soiled 
by  contact  with  the  camel's  back),  merely  remarked 
that  "he  would  now  have  to  buy  a  piece  of  soap  to 
wash  it  with."  I  firmly  ignored  this  gentle  hint,  and 
having  submitted  to  the  scrutiny  of  some  half  a  dozen 
friends  "who,"  as  he  said,  "had  never  seen  a  white 
man  before,"  proceeded  to  pay  off  my  old  guide.  He 
demanded  an  exorbitant  price  for  his  week's  work, 
and  when  reproached  for  this,  Abdi  Aden  answered 
for  him,  and  remarked  that  these  bushmen  did  not 

119 


DIMINISHING  FOOD  AND  WATER 


know  the  value  of  things.  But  I  noticed  that  their 
ignorance  has  a  very  practical  side,  and  I  hesitate  to 
think  of  the  value  they  will  put  on  their  services 
when  they  do  get  to  know  "the  value  of  things." 

Water  and  food  were  now  fast  diminishing  ;  the 
animals  in  the  district  were  becoming  shy  and  wild, 
so  I  decided  to  move  on  to  another  haunt  of  the 
arrola,  farther  north.  All  the  afternoon  I  spent  in 
writing  letters  and  getting  ready  to  plunge  once  more 
into  the  bush  on  another  stage  of  my  long  journey  to 
the  Lorian.  Abdi  Aden  excused  himself  now  from 
accompanying  me,  but  as  he  had  provided  me  with 
another  guide  to  take  his  place,  his  refusal  was  of  no 
importance.  We  parted  on  the  most  friendly  terms, 
and  throughout  my  dealings  with  him  I  found  him 
pleasant,  helpful  and  trustworthy.  One  of  my 
camels  had  been  ill  for  some  time,  and  now  he  died 
from  some  obscure  internal  complaint  called  "gainda" 
by  the  natives.  But  in  proportion  as  the  food 
diminished  the  loads  grew  lighter,  and  his  loss, 
therefore,  was  of  no  serious  consequence. 

Here  Said,  one  of  my  porters,  caught  a  delightful 
little  pet  in  the  shape  of  a  young  mongoose.  In  size 
he  was  as  big  as  a  small  rat,  with  silk-like  olive- 
coloured  hair  and  pink  face.  He  quickly  became 
very  tame,  and  was  a  general  favourite  with  every- 
body. He  had  for  companion  a  tiny  hare,  which 
one  of  the  camel  syces  had  caught  in  the  plain  near 
by.  They  were  kept  in  a  curious  little  cage  of  bark, 
really  very  ingeniously  made  by  one  of  my  men,  in 
shape  and  size  similar  to  a  large  Rugby  football. 

Very  early  the  following  morning  the  caravan  got 
under  way.  I  left  at  the  head  of  my  men  in  gorgeous 
moonlight ;  we  passed  my  old  camp  at  Obe*  as  dawn 

120 


A  PARK-LIKE  COUNTRY 


broke,  and  then  turned  north-west.  Shortly  after- 
wards we  entered  a  most  beautiful  park-like  country, 
with  long  green  grass,  shady  oak  trees  and  delicate 
mimosas.  The  going,  however,  was  rather  heavy, 
as  we  were  not  following  a  path,  and  the  grass  was 
knee-deep  and  somewhat  tangled ;  but  the  whole 
aspect  of  the  place  suggested  cool  running  streams 
of  clear  water.  Would  that  it  had  been  true  !  But 
our  next  camp  was  to  be  a  dry  one,  and  some  forty 
miles  of  desert  lay  between  us  and  the  next  rainpool. 

After  marching  through  this  kind  of  country  for 
a  couple  of  hours,  we  suddenly  entered  the  bush 
again,  and  a  more  complete  contrast  can  scarcely 
be  imagined.  The  low  grey  scrub,  without  shade 
and  covered  with  thorns,  formed  a  scene  as  arid  and 
desolate  as  the  other  was  fertile  and  beautiful.  We 
marched  along  at  a  good  pace,  for  the  path  was  good, 
though  it  wound  endlessly  in  order  to  avoid  the 
densest  parts.  We  emerged  at  last  into  a  minute 
little  plain,  in  which  was  a  deserted  Somali  boma. 
Here  I  decided  to  allow  the  camels  to  feed  and  rest 
before  going  on  once  more. 

While  lunch  was  being  got  ready  I  took  some 
photographs  of  the  abandoned  huts,  and  while  doing 
so,  found  an  old  broken  spoon,  very  handsomely 
carved.  I  was  exceedingly  interested  to  find  that 
on  the  back  of  the  handle  the  man's  cattle  brand 
had  been  cut,  and  my  guide,  on  seeing  it,  stated  that 
it  must  have  belonged  to  Abdi  Aden,  who  had  had 
his  boma  there  during  the  previous  rains.  Later  I 
found  the  same  brand  on  some  of  the  trees  in  the 
vicinity. 

We  left  again  in  the  afternoon,  first  going  west- 
wards for   quite  a  long   time   and  then  N.N.W. 

121 


A  LARGE  HERD  OF  ARROLA 


through  very  dry  and  arid  bush  country.  Here  I 
saw  a  large  herd  of  giraffe,  thirty-eight  in  all,  mostly 
young  cows  ;  but  they  had  had  our  wind  and  were 
already  in  full  flight.  Towards  sunset  we  once  more 
reached  a  large  plain,  covered  with  small  trees  and 
short  withered  grass.  I  saw  a  large  herd  of  oryx 
feeding,  and  after  a  poor  stalk  took  a  shot,  but  only 
managed  to  wound  one.  I  was  much  annoyed,  as  I 
needed  meat,  not  only  for  myself,  but  for  my  men. 
I  had  seen  no  arrola  on  the  march,  but  the  country 
seemed  very  suitable,  so  I  decided  to  camp  and  try 
my  luck  on  the  following  days.  The  heat  had  been 
terrific  and  had  tried  men  and  camels  severely,  and 
the  long  march  had  proved  too  much  for  the  little 
hare,  who  succumbed  during  the  night ;  but  the 
mongoose  was  growing  more  tame  each  day,  and 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  weather  rather  than  the  reverse. 

My  first  day's  hunting  was  unsuccessful.  As  soon 
as  I  had  left  camp  in  the  early  morning  I  saw  some 
oryx  in  the  distance,  and  started  in  their  direction,  but 
there  was  little  cover  and  I  was  doubtful  of  being 
able  to  approach  sufficiently  close  without  alarming 
them.  But  as  I  was  moving  slowly  forward,  I 
suddenly  saw  to  my  left  a  large  herd  of  arrola 
walking  slowly  across  the  plain  toward  the  bush. 
Very  quietly  I  turned  back,  and  making  a  detour 
reached  the  bush  at  a  trot  before  they  arrived  ;  then 
settling  myself  in  a  comfortable  position,  so  as  to  be 
sure  of  my  shot,  I  awaited  them.  They  came  all 
right,  twenty-eight  in  all,  big  bulls  every  one,  except 
the  last  two,  which  were  young  cows.  I  took  careful 
aim,  and  fired,  hitting  the  foremost  one  rather  far 
back  behind  the  shoulder.  Then  followed  a  series 
of  really  shameful  misses,  and  I  finally  lost  sight  of 

122 


STALKING  ARROLA 


them,  without  being  able  to  bring  a  single  one  to 
bag.  I  was  thoroughly  ashamed  of  myself,  but  on 
returning  to  camp  and  trying  the  rifle  at  a  target,  1 
found  that  I  could  not  get  anywhere  near  it.  Then 
it  dawned  upon  me  that  I  must  have  struck  a  bad 
box  of  cartridges,  and  so  it  proved,  for,  on  opening 
a  new  box,  I  immediately  found  the  bull's  eye. 

Of  course  when  I  went  out  in  the  afternoon  I  saw 
nothing,  and  returned  in  disgust  after  a  trying  and 
disappointing  day.  The  following  morning  I  was 
on  the  warpath  at  dawn.  I  made  my  v/ay  on  foot 
to  where  I  had  seen  the  arrola  the  day  before.  I 
carried  my  double-barrelled  '450,  while  my  gun- 
bearer  followed  behind  with  my  '318  magazine  rifle 
and  a  new  batch  of  cartridges.  I  crept  through  the 
scattered  bush  extraordinarily  cautiously,  and  soon 
I  was  rewarded  by  catching  sight  of  a  white  rump 
patch  disappearing  in  the  long  grass  some  way  in 
front.  With  redoubled  caution  now  I  crept  forward 
by  myself,  leaving  the  other  man  behind,  and  soon 
saw  a  beautiful  buck  arrola  feeding  slowly  away  from 
me.  Then,  risking  everything  to  get  close  and  be 
sure  of  my  shot,  I  made  a  long  detour ;  doubling 
back,  and  crawling  on  hands  and  knees  through  the 
grass  right  across  his  path,  I  reached  the  shelter  of 
a  bush,  and  there,  concealed  in  the  shadow,  awaited 
his  approach.  This  manoeuvre  was  entirely  successful. 
He  was  quite  unaware  of  any  threatening  danger  and 
was  feeding  slowly  in  a  direction  that  would  bring 
him  within  20  yards  of  me.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight 
to  watch  him,  moving  slowly  through  the  bush,  now 
and  then  looking  up,  his  great  lyre-shaped  horns 
showing  clearly  against  the  blue  sky.  He  gradually 
sheered  a  little  farther  from  me,  but  as  he  drew  level 

123 


A  FINE  PRIZE 


he  was  just  81  yards  off.  Now  was  my  chance, 
so,  grasping  the  '450  firmly,  and  taking  a  fine  bead 
on  his  shoulder,  I  fired  ;  the  report  was  too  loud  for 
me  to  hear  the  bullet  clap,  but  I  saw  him  fall,  rise 
and  fall  again,  the  blood  pouring  in  torrents  from  his 
mouth.  Greatly  delighted  I  ran  forward,  and  found 
him  lying  dead,  the  bullet  having  gone  through  the 
lungs  and  out  on  the  other  side. 

And  what  a  magnificent  prize  he  proved ! 
Absolutely  in  the  height  of  condition,  and  in  the 
prime  of  life,  he  carried  on  his  small  and  shapely 
head  a  wonderfully  handsome  pair  of  horns.  They 
were  enormously  massive  and  measured  27^  inches  on 
the  front  curve,  thus  exceeding  the  previous  record. 
The  following  are  the  measurements  which  I  took 
upon  the  field  :  Height  at  shoulder,  48  inches ;  length 
from  tip  of  nose  to  root  of  tail  along  the  curves  of 
the  body,  69  inches  ;  girth  behind  shoulder,  48  inches  ; 
length  of  tail,  18  inches. 

After  taking  several  photographs  of  him  I  sent 
for  a  camel  and  had  him  taken  back  to  camp  while 
I  went  on ;  and  while  returning  to  camp  I  saw  two 
topi  and  five  gerenuk  ;  two  of  the  latter  were  fighting 
furiously,  their  little  horns  locked,  often  going  down 
on  their  knees  in  their  furious  endeavours  to  over- 
throw each  other.  Watching  them  and  apparently 
totally  absorbed  in  the  sight  the  two  topi  stood 
together  quite  motionless  on  an  ant-heap.  They 
looked  exceedingly  foolish  and  solemn  standing  there, 
and  their  interest  in  the  fight  cost  one  of  them  his 
life,  for  I  crawled  through  the  grass  till  I  was  within 
50  yards.  Before  firing  I  too  watched  the  gerenuk 
until  one  had  almost  overcome  the  other ;  I  then 
aimed  at  the  biggest  of  the  two  topi  and  brought 

124 


TOPI  AND  GERENUK 

off  a  successful  shot,  dropping  him  in  his  tracks. 
He  proved  to  be  a  big  bull,  with  heavy  horns, 
measuring  i8|  inches,  and  I  was  delighted,  as  we 
needed  meat  badly  and  it  saved  one  days  rations. 

During  the  rest  of  my  stay  at  Goloshe  Gorme 
I  hunted  with  varying  success,  and  bagged,  amongst 
other  things,  another  fine  bull  arrola  and  an  oryx, 
but  I  saw  no  more  zebra  and  no  lesser  kudu.  Finally, 
the  herd  of  arrola  which  I  had  been  so  assiduously 
pursuing  became  very  wild  and  shy,  and  left  the 
locality  at  last ;  so,  having  already  obtained  a  small, 
but  fairly  comprehensive  bag  of  the  game-animals 
found  in  Jubaland,  I  decided  to  proceed  northwards. 
One  day  was  spent  in  getting  ready  and  putting 
everything  in  good  order,  and  on  the  following  day 
at  early  dawn  we  broke  camp. 


125 


CHAPTER  XI 

ACROSS  THE  WILDERNESS 

I  now  regretfully  turned  my  back  on  the  haunts  of 
the  arrola,  and  faced  the  difficult  problems  that  lay 
in  front  of  me.  For  now  I  had  to  cross  a  huge 
stretch  of  wilderness,  a  vast  expanse  of  bush  that 
separated  me  from  the  Lak  Dera  and  the  Lorian. 
Much  of  it  was  unknown  even  to  the  Somali,  who 
prefer  the  district  of  Bhodji,  and  have  named  the 
country  immediately  to  the  south  of  the  Lak  Dera 
Rama  Gudi  (the  bush  wilderness).  The  district  of 
Gulola,  however,  towards  which  I  was  now  travelling, 
is  inhabited,  as  I  have  said  elsewhere,  by  the 
Maghabul  Somali,  and  I  hoped  to  meet  their  sultan, 
from  whom  I  desired  to  obtain  guides  to  lead  me 
westward. 

As  we  left  camp  there  was  just  that  almost 
imperceptible  glow  in  the  east,  called,  I  believe,  the 
false  dawn.  I  always  think  the  sunrise  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  things  I  know,  and  I  never  growT  tired 
of  watching  and  enjoying  it.  On  this  occasion, 
owing  to  the  heavy  clouds  and  thick  mist,  it  was 
particularly  lovely,  the  sky  shading  from  a  lovely 
blue  to  mauve  and  rose,  while  on  every  branch  and 
every  blade  of  grass  the  dewdrops  sparkled  and 
glistened  and  the  countless  spider  webs  seemed 
iridescent  in  the  growing  sunlight. 

I  led  the  way  along  the  trail,  leaving  the  caravan 

126 


SENSATIONAL  RIDING 


a  little  way  behind,  enjoying  the  comparatively  cool 
air  and  the  beautiful  scene.  Suddenly  two  lesser 
kudu,  to  my  mind  the  most  handsome  of  all  antelopes, 
dashed  across  the  path,  startled  by  the  sounds  of 
the  camels'  bells,  and  were  immediately  lost  to  sight 
in  the  bush.  Otherwise  an  unbroken  calm  reigned 
over  this  wilderness,  into  which  I  was  the  first  white 
man  to  penetrate.  But  soon  it  began  to  grow  hot, 
the  dewdrops  vanished,  the  sun  disappeared  behind 
heavy  storm-clouds  and  the  beauty  of  the  scene 
vanished  with  it. 

Some  two  hours  later,  I  entered  a  little  clearing, 
in  which  was  situated  a  small  Somali  boma  con- 
sisting of  ten  huts  of  the  usual  type.  The  entire 
population,  male  and  female,  old  and  young,  came 
out  to  see  the  "white  man" — and  this  anxiety  to 
see  me  led  to  a  somewhat  humorous  incident.  For 
my  mule,  which  stands  nearly  fourteen  hands,  and  was 
very  nervous,  suddenly  shied  violently  at  a  little 
boy  who  was  hiding  behind  a  bush,  and  then  bolted 
towards  a  group  of  Somali  standing  near  the  village. 
I  was  nearly  thrown,  but  somehow  managed  to  stick 
on,  and  by  sawing  on  his  bit  pulled  the  mule  up 
short  after  a  most  sensational  piece  of  riding  through 
the  scattered  thorn-scrub.  The  expression  on  the 
faces  of  the  natives,  and  the  chorus  of  astonished 
"Allans!"  made  me  shake  with  laughter,  as  they 
obviously  thought  I  had  made  the  mule  do  this  for 
their  benefit,  or  else  that  it  was  my  usual  method  of 
travelling !  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  do  not  know  to 
this  day  how  I  managed  to  stick  on. 

After  filling  up  the  water-tanks,  and  shooting  a 
couple  of  guinea-fowl,  I  went  on  again,  still  through 
the  bush,  indeed,  but  a  bush  quite  different  from  what 

127 


TRACKS  IN  THE  WILDS 


I  had  seen  so  far  ;  all  kinds  of  cacti  now  covered  the 
ground  beneath  the  thorn  trees,  and  the  latter  were 
different  in  shape  and  more  attractive.  The  road 
twisted  and  turned  in  a  most  fantastic  manner, 
rendering  my  mapping  a  very  tedious  affair,  so  that 
we  averaged  scarcely  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half 
in  the  hour.  I  was  here  obliged  to  resort  to  a  plan 
first  put  into  practice,  I  believe,  by  Mr.  G.  F.  Archer, 
during  his  valuable  surveys  of  the  Northern  Frontier 
District.  In  order  to  get  the  bearing  of  the  general 
direction  of  the  road,  I  sent  on  a  couple  of  camels 
with  bells  attached,  and  the  rest  followed  behind.  In 
this  way  I  was  able  to  get  both  forward  and  back 
bearings  of  the  track  by  pointing  my  compass  in  the 
direction  from  which  the  sound  of  the  camel  bells 
proceeded,  for  it  was  impossible  to  see  them. 

At  one  time  we  passed  through  a  series  of  little 
open  places  covered  with  short  green  grass,  and 
surrounded  by  dense  bush  on  all  sides,  at  another 
through  a  real  tunnel  formed  by  the  interlacing  of 
the  thorn  trees  above  our  heads.  Continually  I 
caught  sight  of  a  dainty  little  form  bounding  across 
the  path,  and  heard  the  frightened  whistle  of  a  dik- 
dik  as  it  vanished  in  the  jungle,  or  the  loud  whirr  of 
wings  as  a  covey  of  guinea-fowl  rose  in  alarm.  To 
the  lover  of  nature  there  is  unending  pleasure  in 
noting  all  the  innumerable  signs  and  tracks  that 
abound  in  the  wilds,  and  in  reconstructing  the  story 
they  can  tell  to  those  whose  experience  and  bush-craft 
are  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  read  them. 

In  this  way  the  hours  passed  pleasantly  and  quickly 
till  we  reached  Jara,  which  consists  of  three  small 
water-holes  and  a  shallow  swamp.  In  the  latter 
water  can  generally  be  obtained  by  digging,  and  there 

128 


FISH 


were  traces  of  three  old  wells  overgrown  with  reeds 
and  fallen  into  disuse.  In  the  centre  was  a  little 
water,  fast  disappearing,  yet  in  the  mud  I  discovered 
several  small  fish  about  4  inches  long.  Two  of 
these  I  caught  and  brought  back  for  identification, 
and  presented,  with  other  specimens,  to  the  British 
Museum.  How  strange  it  seemed  to  find  them  so 
far  from  any  permanent  stream  or  lake !  I  think 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  there  is  an  underground 
flow  of  water  here,  as,  according  to  native  information 
from  various  sources,  water  is  always  to  be  found  at 
a  depth  of  about  10  feet.  But  whether  these  fish  are 
able  to  burrow  down  through  the  mud  until  they  reach 
it,  when  the  surface  water  evaporates,  I  am  unable 
to  say. 

While  the  camels  were  feeding  here,  I  interviewed 
the  headman  of  the  village  which  was  situated  near 
by.  He  told  me  that  they  were  on  the  point  of 
moving,  but  had  been  delayed  by  illness,  which  proved 
on  investigation  to  be  malaria.  I  grave  him  some 
quinine,  for  which  he  was  very  grateful,  and  some 
tobacco,  which  was  eagerly  accepted. 

Later  I  moved  on  again ;  the  weather  had  now 
grown  most  oppressive  and  a  couple  of  showers  fell, 
but  so  slight  that  they  did  no  good,  and  only  increased 
the  humidity.  We  had  now  entered  the  district  of 
Kurde  and  the  densest  bush  I  had  yet  encountered. 
Travelling  became  monotonous  in  the  extreme,  and 
for  four  hours  there  was  no  opening  of  any  kind  in 
the  bush  where  I  could  camp,  but  at  last,  towards 
sunset,  we  emerged  into  a  little  clearing  where  I 
decided  to  halt.  After  the  camels  had  been  unloaded 
and  the  fires  lit,  there  was  not  a  piece  of  ground  as 
large  as  a  shilling  that  was  not  covered  with  loads, 
1  1 29 


ELEPHANTS 


tents,  ropes,  etc.  It  was  an  interesting  scene  I  saw 
from  my  tent,  the  little  camp  fires  burning  brightly  in 
the  dark  night,  the  half-seen  forms  of  men  moving 
about  or  crouching  over  their  cooking-pots,  the  dim 
outlines  of  the  resting  camels  and  piled  saddles  and 
loads.  Near  at  hand  the  harsh  voices  of  the  Somali 
sounded  in  endless  talk,  or  snatches  of  Swahili  con- 
versation drifted  over  from  the  cook's  fire.  In  the 
distance  came  the  low  rumble  of  thunder  and  the 
multitudinous  noises  of  the  jungle. 

All  the  following  morning  we  made  our  way 
through  similar  country  to  that  which  we  had  passed 
the  day  before,  the  sky  was  again  covered  with  huge 
black  clouds,  and  there  was  obviously  a  heavy  storm 
coming.  It  was  obvious,  too,  that  there  had  been 
plenty  of  rain,  and  yet  the  thorn  was  extremely  dry 
and  arid  looking,  and  the  only  green  plants  were  the 
cacti  and  aloes.  Soon  I  saw  the  fresh  spoor  of  two 
cow-elephants  and  a  small  calf ;  they  must  have 
passed  but  a  few  hours  before.  I  could  not  resist 
getting  off  my  mule  to  have  a  nearer  look  at  those 
monster  footprints,  silent  witnesses  of  the  near 
presence  of  the  biggest  game  alive  to-day.  Elephants, 
dik-dik  and  giraffes  are  the  sole  inhabitants  of  the 
East  African  desert  jungle,  especially  the  two  former. 

In  Southern  Jubaland  elephants  do  not  need  pro- 
tection, for  they  will  continue  to  live  for  centuries 
unmolested  in  these  vast  tracks  of  desolate  and  water- 
less thorn-scrub  which  can  never  be  inhabited  by 
Europeans.  It  is  true  that  they  are  much  sought  after 
by  native  hunters,  but  it  is  only  the  white  man  with 
his  modern  rifle  who  can  upset  the  balance  of  nature. 

About  noon  we  passed  across  a  small,  open  plain, 
where  I  saw  a  herd  of  oryx  beisa  feeding,  and  then 

130 


DISCOMFORTS 


reached  a  beautiful  little  stretch  of  open  bush, 
plentifully  shaded  by  giant  umbrella  trees.  It  is  here 
that  the  Lak  Guran  has  its  source ;  at  least  it  is 
towards  this  point  that  all  the  surrounding  country 
gradually  and  gently  slopes,  but  there  is  not  sufficient 
water  to  make  a  real  river-bed  until  a  point  a  little 
farther  is  reached  ;  this  district  is  called  Goniah-iddu, 
which  means  the  "  sandy  lonely  place."  It  will  be 
seen,  therefore,  that  the  Lak  Guran  rises  in  Kurde 
and  flows  almost  due  east  until  Shimbirleh  is  reached, 
which  is  a  very  different  course  to  that  marked  on 
existing  maps. 

I  remained  here  for  some  time,  the  storm  was 
approaching  and  the  heat  was  indescribably  op- 
pressive ;  no  breath  of  air  stirred,  and  the  poor 
camels,  instead  of  feeding  as  usual,  lay  down  in  the 
shade  of  the  trees.  It  was  with  some  reluctance  that 
I  got  on  my  mule  again  and  started  off  towards 
Gulola.  The  march  was  extremely  tedious,  and  there 
was  nothing  to  be  seen  except  an  occasional  bird  or 
even  more  rarely  a  dik-dik  bounding  through  the 
bush.  At  three  o'clock  the  storm  which  had  been 
threatening  for  days  broke  in  earnest ;  the  rain  fell 
in  solid  sheets  of  water  and  we  were  immediately 
drenched  to  the  skin.  It  is  impossible  to  describe 
all  the  discomforts  of  this  kind  of  weather  as  you 
have  to  face  it  when  marching  in  a  tropical  country, 
but  it  is  too  unpleasant  for  words.  Clothes  become 
wet  and  sticky,  the  road  degenerates  into  a  kind  of 
bog,  the  mud  from  which  clings  to  one's  boots  and 
makes  walking  a  nightmare ;  nothing  is  dry,  while 
the  heat  does  not  grow  less,  but  rather  more  oppressive 
than  before.  At  5.30  we  camped  in  another  little 
clearing,  my  tent  was  soon  pitched  and  the  fires 

131 


DISCOMFORTS 


lighted  ;  everything  was  steaming  ;  although  the  rain 
had  stopped,  the  heavy  clouds  hung  low,  and  light- 
ning flickered  now  and  then  to  the  northward.  All 
through  the  evening  the  distant  rumbling  of  thunder 
foretold  rain  for  the  morrow.  My  bedding  was  wet, 
my  clothes  wet,  and  I  had  no  more  meat,  so  after  a 
frugal  dinner  of  rice  and  tea,  I  went  to  bed. 

The  following  day  I  started  off  before  dawn,  still 
going  to  the  north-north-west.  I  walked,  as  my 
saddle  was  sodden  with  water  and  my  mule  could  not 
stand  up  in  the  mud.  It  soon  began  to  drizzle,  half 
mist  half  rain,  and  it  was  rather  a  depressed  caravan 
that  marched  on  through  the  bush.  The  trail  too 
was  growing  worse  and  worse,  the  wait-a-bit  thorn 
thicker  and  thicker,  and  I  soon  saw  the  guide  had 
lost  his  way.  Although  considerably  annoyed  I 
could  not  do  anything,  but,  calling  up  my  men  and 
setting  an  example  myself,  I  started  to  cut  a  way 
through  the  bush  for  the  camels.  This  was  slow  and 
painful  work,  hands,  arms  and  face  getting  badly 
scratched  by  the  thorn,  but  in  two  hours  we  reached 
a  huge  swamp,  across  which  I  led  the  way  by  an  old 
elephant  path.  The  grass  rose  high  above  our  heads, 
and  the  water  came  up  to  our  knees  as  we  sank  in 
the  mud.  Great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  getting 
the  camels  across  ;  each  had  to  be  unloaded  and  the 
things  carried  by  the  porters,  who  then  returned  to 
lead  the  camels  over  to  the  other  side.  Once  we 
were  all  across,  the  guide  knew  where  he  was,  but  I 
decided  to  camp  while  he  went  on  to  find  out  where 
the  Sultan's  village  was,  for  I  depended  on  him  for  a 
guide  to  take  me  to  the  Lorian. 

There  were  some  beautiful  umbrella  trees  here, 
so  I  chose  a  nice  spot,  and  my  tent  was  soon  up. 

132 


A  Marabou  Stork 


These  hideous  birds  are  very  useful  as  scavengers.  They  possess  a  very  valuable  small  bunch  of 
feathers  under  the  tail.  In  order  to  procure  one  ounce  of  these  feathers  it  would  be  necessary  to  kill 
at  least  three  birds. 


Loading  a  Camel  with  the  Water  Tanks 

These  tanks,  of  which  two  can  be  seen  in  the  right-hand  corner,  and  one  on  the  camel,  are 
indispensable  to  the  traveller  in  the  interior  of  Jubaland.  They  are  made  of  copper,  and 
contain  from  10  to  12  gallons. 


THE  WEAVER  BIRD 

While  the  guide  was  away  I  spent  my  time  ex- 
amining this  important  water-hole  which  is  known  to 
the  natives  by  the  name  of  Gama  Gar.  It  is  about 
five  miles  in  circumference,  roughly  circular  in  shape, 
and  is  situated  in  a  shallow  depression.  It  is  filled 
with  elephant  grass  and  surrounded  by  dense  acacia 
bush,  spiny  euphorbias  and  a  few  large  conifers 
(Juniperus  procera).  A  small  stream  runs  into  it 
from  the  west ;  the  water  within  the  swamp  was 
about  3  inches  deep,  and  the  ground  beneath  very 
soft  and  boggy. 

While  here  I  obtained  a  few  doves,  a  francolin 
and  some  good  specimens  of  the  weaver  bird's  nest. 
These  nests  are  rather  curious  in  shape,  and  are 
generally  to  be  found  in  small  colonies,  hanging  down 
from  the  branches  of  some  thorn  tree,  having  their 
entrance  at  the  bottom.  In  shape  they  resemble  a 
large  pipe  or  chemist's  retort,  for  attached  to  the 
entrance,  and  forming  a  kind  of  tunnel,  is  a  tube 
about  1 8  inches  long  and  2  inches  in  diameter, 
made  out  of  grass.  Owing  to  the  cloudy  skies  of  the 
last  few  days  it  had  been  impossible  to  take  any 
observations  for  latitude,  but  on  the  evening  previous 
to  my  departure  from  Gama  Gar  I  had  an  unob- 
structed view  of  the  sky  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  I 
was  therefore  able  to  fix  the  position  of  the  place  with 
fair  accuracy.  When  the  guide  came  back  he  said 
that  the  village  was  an  hour's  march  away,  and  that 
the  Sultan  had  not  yet  arrived,  but  was  expected  on 
the  morrow.  I  therefore  broke  camp  without  any 
regret,  as  the  flies,  mosquitoes  and  small  red  ticks 
made  life  a  perfect  burden.  The  swamp,  however, 
was  important  geographically,  and  I  was  glad  to  have 
had  this  opportunity  of  studying  it. 

133 


A  BUSY  VILLAGE 


The  country  between    Gama    Gar  and  Gulola 
village  slopes  gradually  upwards  towards  the  north ; 
but  the  rains  of  the  last  few  days  had  left  pools  of 
water  everywhere  and  made  the  going  very  heavy. 
After  an  hour's  march,  however,  we  reached  the  village 
itself,  a  little  cluster  of  beehive-shaped  huts  nestling 
under  some  large  acacia  trees.    While  my  orderly 
was  looking  for  a  good  place  to  pitch  camp,  I  sat 
and  watched  the  scene  of  great  activity  that  was 
going  on,  for  some  more  families  had  but  just  arrived 
and  the  Sultan  himself  was  expected  in  the  afternoon. 
All  around  the  cattle  were  moving  about  herded  by 
little  naked  boys,  while  the  women,  nearly  all  with 
the  black  cloth  denoting  marriage  tied  round  their 
heads,  began  to  build  the  houses  they  had  brought 
with  them  on  the  gentle,  cream-coloured  oxen.  The 
men,  their  white  cloths  thrown  round  them,  were 
either  standing  on  one  leg,  resting  on  their  spears  and 
watching  us,  or  were  beginning  to  cut  branches  and 
bushes  to  make  the  thorn  fence  around  the  village. 
There  were  camels  too,  with  little  children  slung  in 
sacks,  and  balanced  on  the  other  side  by  tiny  lambs 
or  kids,  and  in  between,  on  the  backs  of  animals,  were 
every  kind  of  household  goods  to  complete  the  load. 

The  sun  very  luckily  came  out  a  little  later,  so 
I  was  able  to  take  an  observation  for  latitude,  but 
almost  immediately  after  it  began  to  rain,  and  the 
storm  continued  all  the  afternoon,  only  clearing  up 
again  at  4  p.m.,  when  I  immediately  took  further 
observations  for  time. 

I  had  hardly  finished  when  I  saw  coming  down 
the  trail  a  long  line  of  laden  oxen  and  camels,  led  by 
old  women  and  Galla  slaves  ;  and  soon,  surrounded 
by  a  dozen  young  warriors,  a  few  elders  and  a  priest, 

134 


THE  SULTAN  MOHAMMED  ALI 

the  Sultan  Mohammed  Ali  entered  my  boma  and 
advanced  towards  my  tent.  I  went  out  to  meet  him 
and,  as  we  shook  hands,  my  four  askaris  each  fired 
one  shot  in  the  air  and  presented  arms,  while  every- 
body cheered.  I  could  see  that  he  was  much 
gratified  with  his  reception,  but  as  it  is  not  etiquette 
for  a  chief  to  talk  to  a  stranger  before  he  has  given 
the  latter  a  present,  he  only  said  that  he  was  very 
glad  to  see  me,  and  then  excusing  himself  went  off  to 
his  village,  saying  that  he  would  return  later,  with  my 
permission.  Standing  about  5  foot  8,  he  was  a  short, 
thick-set  man  with  rather  a  fine  head  and  strong,  clean- 
cut  features ;  he  was  dressed  in  the  characteristic 
white  robe  and  carried  the  usual  warrior  spear,  which 
was  noticeable  for  its  splendid  black  shaft.  At  dusk 
he  returned  together  with  about  twenty-three  of  his 
followers,  and  sat  down  in  front  of  my  tent  on  some 
blankets  I  had  provided  for  them.  While  "buni" 
was  being  prepared  for  them,  I  made  a  long  speech, 
in  which  I  told  him  that  I  had  been  very  pleased 
with  the  welcome  I  had  received  from  his  subjects 
farther  south,  and  I  went  on  to  explain  my  plans  and 
to  ask  them  for  help.  To  all  this  they  listened  very 
patiently,  and  while  he  was  thinking  of  an  answer 
and  drank  his  coffee,  I  went  into  my  tent  and  had 
supper.  But  while  I  was  waiting  for  it  they  told  me 
that  it  was  time  for  them  to  pray,  so  taking  off  their 
sandals  and  sprinkling  their  hands,  face  and  feet, 
they  stood  up,  the  priest  in  front,  and  with  rather  a 
splendid  lack  of  self-consciousness  began  their  prayers. 
All  through  supper,  I  saw  their  dim  forms  bending 
down  and  prostrating  themselves,  following  the  ex- 
ample of  the  priest,  whose  low  droning  voice  rose  and 
fell  in  a  monotonous  undertone  in  the  darkness  without. 

*35 


COMPLIMENTS  AND  PRESENTS 

When  I  had  finished  I  went  out  again,  and 
Mohammed  Ali,  having  presented  me  with  a  really 
magnificent  ox,  spoke  for  a  long  time.  He  began 
with  the  usual  flowery  compliments  of  the  East,  and 
spoke  of  the  friendship  he  professed  for  the  Govern- 
ment, of  which  he  had  hitherto  been  unable  to  offer 
tangible  proof,  since  no  officer  had  previously  visited 
his  country ;  he  hoped,  however,  that  I  should  carry 
away  with  me  pleasant  memories  of  my  stay  there. 
He  told  me  that  little  was  known  about  the  roads 
from  here  to  Lorian,  since  it  was  a  country  that  was 
reputed  waterless  and  inhospitable,  and  had  therefore 
been  avoided  by  his  tribes  ;  he  would  return,  he  said, 
the  following  morning,  and  if  he  could  find  two  men 
who  knew  the  road  he  would  see  that  they  should 
guide  me  thither. 

His  news  was  not  very  satisfactory,  but  I  had 
perforce  to  be  contented. 


136 


CHAPTER  XII 

SOME  NPTES  ON  THE  SOMALI 

I  had  now  reached  the  heart  of  the  country  I  was 
exploring,  and  found  myself  amongst  a  tribe  whose 
customs  and  character  have  been  influenced  by  con- 
tact with  Europeans,  and  who  have  not  yet  come 
into  contact  with  Western  civilisation.  It  would 
therefore  seem  not  inappropriate  that  I  should  give 
some  account  of  the  Jubaland  Somali ;  I  do  not 
propose  to  deal  at  any  length  with  their  history,  for 
such  matters  are  fully  dealt  with  in  certain  books  on 
British  Somaliland,1  and  my  own  stay  in  Jubaland 
was  not  sufficiently  extended  to  qualify  me  to  speak 
with  authority  on  the  subject. 

In  East  Africa  there  are  only  two  main  branches 
of  the  true  Somali,  namely,  the  Ishaak  and  the 
Darud,  and  it  is  only  the  latter  that  is  represented  in 
Jubaland.  According  to  the  native  account,  in  the 
75th  year  of  Hejira  (692  a.d.)  an  Arab  Sheik,  Ismail 
Juberti  by  name,  was  outlawed  in  his  own  country 
and  fled  from  Arabia  by  night  in  a  dhow.  After 
many  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  he  landed  on  the 
Benadir  coast  near  Hobia  (or  Obbia),  but  the  inhabi- 
tants of  that  country,  the  Haweyah,  refused  to  shelter 
him  and  drove  him  out ;  he  was  compelled  therefore 

1  La  vallie  du  Darror,  G.  Revoil ;  British  Somaliland,  R.  E.  Drake- 
Brockman. 

137 


BRANCHES  OF  SOMALI 


to  flee  southwards,  but  eventually  was  received  by 
the  Dirr,  another  aboriginal  tribe  of  the  Benadir 
coast.  With  them  he  settled  down,  and  married 
Dubarra,  daughter  of  Dogolla,  by  whom  he  had  five 
sons,  from  one  of  whom,  namely,  Darud  Juberti,  all 
the  Darud  Somali  are  descended.  Of  the  tribes  now 
represented  in  Jubaland,  the  Marehan  claim  descent 
from  Esa,  and  the  Ogadan  and  Herti  from  Kablala 
Darud,  both  sons  of  the  above-mentioned  Darud 
Juberti.  The  Marehan  are  again  subdivided  into 
three  important  branches,  the  Hassan,  the  Isak  and 
the  Galti.  It  is  only  within  the  last  six  years  that 
the  latter  have  entered  Jubaland.  They  possess  a 
quantity  of  horses  and  camels,  but  few  cattle.  They 
inhabit  the  country  near  Dolo  and  Sarrenleh,  and  at 
the  present  time  are  giving  some  trouble  to  the 
Government,  as  I  have  mentioned  in  a  previous 
chapter.  Their  numbers  may  be  estimated  at  about 
5000. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Kismayu,  and  as  far 
south  as  Biskayia,  are  the  Herti.  Their  head  chief 
is  Mohammed  Shirwa,  but  he  is  still  a  young  man, 
and  the  affairs  of  the  tribe  are  in  the  hands  of 
Mohammed  Aden.  The  Herti  are  divided  into  three 
important  sub-tribes  —  the  Dolbahanta,  the  Was- 
engeleh  and  the  Midjertein.  The  first-named  still 
remain  east  of  the  Juba,  and  there  are  but  few  of 
the  Wasengeleh  in  British  territory.  The  Midjertein 
are,  however,  fairly  strongly  represented,  about  3000 
inhabiting  the  country  between  Gobwein  and  Port 
Durnford.  The  Herti,  being  traders  as  well  as  cattle- 
owners,  have  confined  themselves  to  the  coast,  where 
they  have  kept  in  close  touch  with  the  Arabs,  and 
were   amongst  the  first  to  submit  to  British  rule. 

138 


An  Ogaden  War-Dance 

For  a  description  of  these  dances,  see  Chapters  VII  and  XIII. 


ABDULLA  SOMALI 


They  are  very  different  from  the  real  nomads  of 
the  interior,  and  from  personal  experience  I  did  not 
form  a  very  favourable  opinion  of  those  I  met  in 
Jubaland.  They  are  avaricious  and  money-loving,  a 
fault  I  am  afraid  common  to  all  Somali,  but  in  their 
case  intensified  to  an  almost  incredible  extent  ;  they 
have  been  spoiled  by  too  frequent  contact  with 
European  influences,  and  seem  to  possess  the  vices 
of  two  civilisations  without  the  redeeming  qualities 
of  either. 

Very  different  to  the  Herti  are  the  true  Somali  of 
the  bush,  of  which  the  Ogaden  tribe  is  chiefly  com- 
posed. The  most  important  sub-tribes  of  the  latter 
are  the  Mohammed  Zubheir,  the  Aulehan,  the  Abdulla, 
the  Abd  Wak  and  the  Maghabul,  while  the  Rer 
Mohammed  and  the  Habr  Suliman  are  two  minor 
subdivisions. 

The  Abdulla  inhabit  the  country  to  the  south- 
west of  Biskayia  as  far  as  the  Tana  River.  West- 
wards again  from  them  are  the  Abd  Wak  and  the 
Rer  Mohammed,  known  collectively  as  Talamuga. 
The  latter  occasionally  wander  into  the  hills  north  of 
Lorian,  but  there  is  a  constant  feud  between  them 
and  the  Mohammed  Zubheir,  whose  headquarters  are 
at  WTajheir,  and  many  are  the  fierce  fights  waged 
between  them.  Shortly  before  I  reached  Melka 
Waja,  the  Mohammed  Zubheir,  led  by  their  chief, 
Ahmed  Mugan,  had  inflicted  a  terrible  defeat  on  the 
Talamuga,  after  a  fight  lasting  thirty-six  hours,  in 
which,  according  to  native  reports,  there  was  great 
loss  of  life  on  both  sides.  The  victors  then  returned 
northwards,  taking  with  them  some  four  hundred  head 
of  cattle.  I  am  unable  to  say  in  what  way  the  spoils 
are  divided  amongst  the  victorious  army,  since  the 

139 


A  STEADY  MIGRATION 


answers  to  my  questions  varied  considerably.  It  is 
likely,  however,  that  each  tribe  has  its  own  methods, 
although  all  are  probably  based  on  the  same  general 
principles. 

The  Aulehan  inhabit  the  country  between  Lorian 
and  Sarrenleh  ;  but  they  are  generally  to  be  found  in 
the  northern  parts  of  that  region,  and  it  is  only  an 
occasional  family,  or  a  band  of  young  warriors,  that 
makes  its  way  south  to  Tur  Guda  and  Haryel. 

The  Maghabul,  although  not  numerically  strong, 
possess  immense  herds  of  cattle ;  they  wander  in 
search  of  grass  and  water  through  the  districts  of 
Joreh  and  Gulola,  according  to  the  season  ;  and  it  was 
with  them  that  I  remained  the  longest. 

There  was,  and  there  is  still,  a  steady  migration  of 
Somali  from  the  north  towards  the  south  and  west ;  I 
have  already  referred  to  the  fact  that  the  Marehan 
have  but  lately  crossed  the  Juba,  while  it  is  only  the 
Tana  that  temporarily  prevented  the  Abdulla  and  the 
Abd  Wak  from  driving  the  Galla  still  farther  south. 
Some  seventy-five  years  ago  the  latter  tribe  enjoyed 
undisputed  possession  of  the  country  between  the 
Juba  and  the  Tana.  At  the  same  time  the  Ogaden 
Somali  were  migrating  southwards  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Webbe  Shebeyli.  Here  they  were  met  by  the 
Rahn-Wen  and  the  Bimaal,  who  severely  defeated 
them  and  drove  them  westwards  across  the  Juba 
River.  They  now  came  into  collision  with  the  Galla, 
locally  known  to-day  in  Jubaland  as  the  Werdey,  by 
whom  they  were  again  defeated  with  great  loss ;  the 
fighting,  however,  was  continued  for  nearly  two  years, 
when  they  made  peace,  and  obtained  the  consent  of 
the  Galla  to  settle  side  by  side  with  them  in  Jubaland. 
For  five  years  this  state  of  things  continued  ;  in  the 

140 


GALLA  AND  SOMALI 


meanwhile  the  Somali  were  recuperating  from  their 
exhausting  conflicts  with  the  Rahn-Wen  and  Bimaal, 
their  numbers  were  increasing,  and  they  were  finally- 
joined  by  the  Herti,  who  had  come  down  by  sea  in 
dhows.  Finally  they  seized  a  favourable  opportunity, 
broke  their  agreement,  and  rose  simultaneously  against 
the  Galla,  whom  they  utterly  routed  and  drove  south- 
wards and  westwards.  This  movement  is,  as  I  have 
said,  still  progressing ;  the  Somali,  although  they  are 
submissive  to  British  rule  along  the  coast,  are,  in  the 
interior,  still  a  conquering  race,  and  whether  they 
defeat  the  Borana  or  the  Galla,  they  will  be  uncon- 
sciously carrying  out  the  curious  impulse  that  for  the 
last  eighty  years  has  been  pushing  them  southwards 
and  westwards. 

In  Jubaland  proper  there  is  only  one  Galla  settle- 
ment, but  there  are  several  individuals  of  that  tribe 
serving  the  Ogaden  in  the  interior  either  as  herdsmen 
or  as  slaves.  Physically  they  are  smaller,  but  more 
sturdily  built  than  the  Somali,  to  whom  they  are  much 
inferior  in  intelligence.  It  would  seem  probable,  from 
a  comparison  of  their  respective  languages,  that  the 
Somali  and  the  Galla  come  from  a  common  parent 
stock ;  but  this  is  a  particularly  difficult  question,  and 
requires  for  its  elucidation  a  more  complete  knowledge 
of  both  languages  than  we  possess  at  present.  The 
Galla  are  Pagans,  although  many  of  them  now  profess 
Islam  ;  but  in  any  case,  according  to  Western  ideas, 
their  morality  is  very  lax,  and  at  marriage  it  is  not 
their  custom  to  give  a  dowry.  Having  had  but  a 
slight  acquaintance  with  them,  I  prefer  to  refer  the 
reader  to  books  such  as  Travels  in  S.  Abyssinia, 
by  C.  Johnston,  for  further  information  concerning 
them,  and  will  now  pass  on  to  the  consideration  of 

141 


GEOGRAPHICAL  ASPECTS 


some  of  the  most  characteristic  habits  of  the  Somali. 
But  since  climatic  and  physical  conditions  are  so 
intimately  connected  with,  and  have  so  profound  an 
influence  on,  the  character  and  habits  of  the  natives,  I 
must  first  briefly  recapitulate  the  main  geographical 
aspects  of  the  country. 

In  the  whole  of  Jubaland  there  are  no  permanent 
rivers  or  streams  except  the  Juba  and  the  Tana,  and 
no  permanent  water-holes  except  the  wells  at  Wajheir, 
Eil  Wak,  Afmadu  and  Fungal  in  the  north,  and  a 
few  fresh-water  springs  along  the  coast.  A  glance  at 
the  map  will  immediately  show  the  large  tract  of 
country  where  desert  conditions  must  therefore  of 
necessity  prevail.  At  all  times  sparsely  inhabited, 
the  interior  is  completely  deserted  during  the  dry 
season,  the  Somali  with  their  cattle,  goats  and  camels, 
moving  south  to  the  Tana,  west  to  the  Lorian  and 
north  and  east  to  the  permanent  wells  and  the  Juba. 
The  word  "  desert,"  which  is  applied  to  this  waterless 
region,  immediately  conjures  up  a  picture  of  waste 
stretches  of  rolling  sanddunes,  such  as  are  found  in 
parts  of  the  Sahara,  or  the  wide  open  plains  with  bare 
volcanic  ridges  so  characteristic  of  the  great  desert 
areas  of  Western  America  and  North-West  Mexico  ; 
but  very  different  conditions  prevail  in  Jubaland. 

The  whole  of  the  region  with  which  I  am  now 
concerned  is  clothed  with  a  low,  dense  thorn-scrub 
which  from  time  to  time  opens  out  into  little  park- 
like spaces,  covered  during  the  rainy  season  with  a 
temporary  growth  of  luxuriant  grass.  In  the  centre 
and  north-west,  the  belts  of  bush  become  denser  and 
more  difficult  to  penetrate,  but  towards  the  Tana  the 
open  plains  become  larger  and  more  numerous.  If 
these  facts  are  remembered,  much  that  is  otherwise 

142 


NOMADIC  HABITS 


incomprehensible  in  the  habits  of  the  Somali  is 
explained,  and  it  will  be  obvious  how  much  the 
country  they  inhabit  has  moulded  their  characters 
and  influenced  their  way  of  living.  They  themselves 
have  a  saying,  which  illustrates  my  point,  "  God 
made  Somaliland  :  then  He  laughed  and  made  the 
Somali." 

Since  there  is  no  permanent  water-supply,  agricul- 
ture is  rendered  impossible.    Their  wealth  therefore 
consists  in  live  stock,  and  in  order  to  keep  them  in 
good  condition  the  natives  are  obliged  to  wander 
from  place  to  place,  according  to  the  season,  in  endless 
search  of  good  pasture  and  of  water.    Years  of  such 
wanderings  have  developed  their  nomadic  instincts  to 
the  full,  and  have  moulded  their  physique  into  a  form 
almost  ideally  suited  to  such  a  life.    Resembling  an 
Arab  in  appearance,  the  Somali  is  slightly  built,  small 
boned,  and  very  lithe  and  active.    Accustomed  to 
hardships  of  every  kind,  and  exposed  to  danger  from 
his  earliest  years,  he  is  content  with  a  minimum  of 
physical  comfort  and  becomes  a  tireless  marcher,  a 
wonderful    scout   and   a   courageous   warrior.  In 
endless  conflict  with  the  natural  difficulties  of  his 
country  and  the  vicissitudes  of  his  climate,  perpetually 
defending  himself  from  the  dangers  that  beset  his 
life  and  his  belongings,  he  finds  rest  only  in  his 
wanderings,  peace  and  contentment  of  heart  only 
in  fighting  and  in  adding  to  his  stock  by  raiding 
that  of  his  neighbour. 

In  his  heart  he  considers  himself  perfect  and  far 
superior  to  the  tribes  by  which  he  is  surrounded. 
He  holds  in  subjection  the  Waboni,  and  despises 
the  Galla,  refusing  to  believe  for  a  moment  in  the 
possibility  of  a  common  origin.    But  this  narrow  and 

143 


ADAPTABILITY  OF  THE  SOMALI 


bigoted  outlook  on  life,  inevitable  to  a  people  whose 
ideals  are  made  up  of  a  fancied  superiority,  is  not 
incompatible  with  an  acute  intelligence,  and  this 
they  possess  without  a  doubt.  No  native  is  more 
adaptable  than  the  Somali.  They  may  be  found 
as  stokers  on  big  liners,  as  miners  in  South  Africa, 
as  servants,  soldiers,  interpreters  and  clerks,  and 
they  do  their  work  well ;  but  as  soon  as  they  return 
to  their  homes  they  cast  off  the  conventional  dress 
of  civilisation,  and  become  once  more  true  nomads, 
for  in  such  a  life  only  can  they  find  their  full  measure 
of  happiness. 

Like  the  Arabs,  they  may  well  be  called  true 
Children  of  the  Desert.  Essentially  lazy  in  times 
of  peace,  their  dignity  does  not  allow  them  to  do 
any  manual  work,  which  is  therefore  left  to  the 
women.  Their  sole  preoccupation  is  to  see  to  the 
welfare  of  their  stock  and  to  add  to  their  possessions 
by  raiding  the  cattle  of  their  enemies.  When  not 
thus  occupied,  they  will  lie  for  hours  outside  their 
village,  in  the  shade  of  some  convenient  tree,  sleeping, 
droning  songs  about  their  past  deeds  of  prowess,  or 
chatting  with  their  companions.  In  character  they 
are  proud  and  quick  to  resent  some  fancied  wrong 
or  injury  ;  they  are  generally  cheerful,  talkative  and 
true  to  their  code  of  honesty  ;  but  in  the  latter  respect 
it  must  be  remembered  that  what  would  be  binding 
between  two  Mohammedans  is  by  no  means  a  trust- 
worthy contract  between  a  Mohammedan  and  an 
infidel.  Although  in  many  cases  they  appear  to  be 
insolent  to  a  stranger,  I  believe  this  to  be  more  of  a 
mannerism  than  a  deliberate  act. 

If  a  Somali  thinks  he  is  being  wronged  or 
unfairly  treated,  he  changes  from  a  light-hearted, 

144 


Somali  Cattle 


THE  WEALTH  OF  THE  SOMALI 


willing  and  obedient  native  into  a  sullen,  dangerous 
and  treacherous  enemy,  and  his  undoubted  intelli- 
gence and  courage,  coupled  with  his  powers  of 
endurance  and  knowledge  of  the  bush,  render  him 
a  truly  formidable  antagonist. 

As  I  have  already  mentioned,  the  wealth  of  a 
Somali  is  estimated  by  the  amount  of  live  stock  he 
possesses.  The  latter  consists  of  camels,  cattle,  goats 
and  sheep.  Camels  are  not  bred  much  south  of  the 
Lak  Dera,  but  round  Wajheir  and  Eil  Wak  there 
are  enormous  herds.  I  shall  deal  with  them  in 
another  chapter  ;  and  so,  therefore,  I  need  not  refer 
to  them  at  greater  length  here.  Nor  is  there  much 
to  be  said  of  the  cattle,  for  they  belong  to  the  well- 
known  shorthorn  breed  of  native  cattle  common 
throughout  East  Africa.  While  the  grazing  is  good 
the  cows  give  plenty  of  milk,  but  the  necessity  of 
continually  moving  according  to  the  water-supply 
is  a  serious  drawback  and  keeps  the  animals  from 
getting  really  fat. 

The  sheep,  however,  are  interesting ;  they  belong 
to  a  black-headed  fat-rumped  group,  for  which  Dr. 
Fitzinger  proposed  the  name  Ovis  pachycerca,  be- 
lieving them  to  be  descended  from  a  distinct  stock. 
There  does  not  seem  to  be  sufficient  justification 
for  such  an  opinion,  since  their  peculiarities  may 
well  be  the  results  of  long  domestication.  As  special 
characteristics  of  this  breed,  Mr.  R.  Lydekker  gives 
"the  absence  or  rudimentary  condition  of  the  horns 
of  the  rams ;  the  excess  in  length  of  the  lower  over 
the  upper  jaw  ;  the  strongly  developed  dewlap  which 
often  extends  downwards  to  the  chest :  .  .  .  the  short 
stumpy  tail,  which  appears  as  a  kind  of  knob  between 
the  fatty  cushions  on  the  rump  ;  the  short  sleek  coat 

K  145 


GOATS 


of  hair,  which  is  shortest  on  the  face,  ears  and  tail, 
and  longest  on  the  underparts.  No  less  distinctive 
is  the  blackness  of  the  head  and  the  white  with  a 
tinge  of  yellow  of  the  body  and  limbs.  .  .  .  The 
rudimentary  tail  is  about  a  couple  of  inches  in  length, 
and  the  fat  masses  on  the  rump  weigh  about  25  lb."1 
The  goats  are  of  the  usual  breed  found  elsewhere 
in  East  Africa.  In  colour  they  are  white,  or  white 
and  brown  ;  occasionally  a  black  and  tan  or  a  com- 
plete brown  individual  may  be  seen  ;  the  hair  is  short, 
and  in  size  and  weight  they  usually  exceed  the  sheep 
with  which  they  are  generally  herded  ;  the  horns  are 
well  developed,  and  the  skins  valuable  for  various 
purposes. 

1  The  Sheep  and  its  Cousins,  R.  Lydekker,  pp.  204-5. 


146 


CHAPTER  XIII 

FURTHER  NOTES  ON  THE  SOMALI 

A  Somali  village,  or  "  rer,"  as  it  is  called,  is  com- 
posed of  a  number  of  huts  shaped  like  a  beehive 
(gurgi),  surrounded  by  a  thorn  fence,  or  "  zariba." 
The  centre  of  the  enclosed  space  is  usually  divided 
into  a  number  of  divisions  or  pens,  in  which  the 
sheep  and  goats  are  kept  during  the  night.  The 
huts,  which  are  wretchedly  poor    and   squalid  in 
appearance,  are  carried  from  place  to  place  on  the 
backs  of  camels  or  bullocks,  and  are  erected  and 
taken   down  by  the  women,   while   the  zariba  is 
erected  by  the  men.    The  gurgi  are  built  by  placing 
six  or  more  curved  posts  in  the  ground  ;  the  tops 
are  tied  tightly  together,  and  supported  by  a  heavy 
central  pole,  and  the  framework  is  strengthened  by 
cross-pieces  tied  horizontally ;  a  small  space  is  left 
for  the  doorway,  to  the  right  of  which  a  shallow 
trench  is  made  for  the  fire.    This  is  the  only  means 
of  entrance  and  exit  for  the  inhabitants  ;  it  is  the  sole 
method  of  ventilation,  and  of  enabling  the  smoke  to 
escape.    The  shell  of  the  hut  being  thus  securely 
erected,  the  whole  is  covered  by  a  number  of  mats 
skilfully  woven  out  of  grass  and  the  fibre  made  from 
the  smooth  outer  bark  of  the  "  araru  "  tree,  while  some- 
times the  hide  of  a  bullock  is  stretched  over  the  top 
and  tightly  lashed  down,  in  order  to  make  everything 
completely  rain-  and  storm-proof. 

The  interior  is  generally  divided  into  two  apart- 

147 


THE  "TOBE" 

ments  by  hanging  up  another  mat,  the  left-hand  side 
forming  the  sleeping  apartment,  while  the  right,  which 
contains  the  fire,  is  used  as  the  living  room.  Such, 
at  any  rate,  was  my  impression  of  the  huts,  which  I 
had  the  opportunity  of  inspecting.  The  Somali  are 
somewhat  chary  of  allowing  strangers  to  enter  their 
gurgi,  and  I  therefore  offer  these  observations  with 
the  utmost  diffidence,  knowing  how  easy  it  is  to  carry 
away  an  erroneous  idea  of  the  habits  and  doings  of 
natives  with  whom  one  has  had  but  a  brief  acquaintance. 

The  Somali,  when  at  home  in  his  village,  wears 
the  white  "tobe,"  which  completely  covers  his  person. 
This  is  merely  a  piece  of  calico  (Bufta)  of  double 
width,  and  about  8  yards  in  length.  In  Jubaland 
a  "piece"  of  cloth  is  40  yards,  which  is  cut  into  5 
full  "lengths,"  or  8  "half-lengths"  ;  this  is  the  recog- 
nised standard  of  exchange,  and  is  the  basis  of  all 
trading.  There  are  three  qualities  of  cloth,  Bufta, 
Murduf  and  Americani,  in  their  respective  order  of 
value  corresponding  to  what  I  should  call  in  English, 
calico,  twill  and  common  cotton  cloth.  A  list  of 
these  and  other  trade  goods,  together  with  their 
values  in  the  interior  as  a  medium  of  exchange  and 
what  can  be  obtained  in  return  for  them,  will  be  found 
in  Appendix  C. 

The  "tobe"  is  draped  much  as  the  old  Romans 
wore  their  toga  ;  its  appearance,  when  clean,  is  very 
graceful  and  picturesque,  and  must  be  extremely  com- 
fortable. But  when  the  Somali  is  travelling,  or  is  on 
the  warpath,  he  modifies  his  dress  accordingly.  A 
loin-cloth,  either  plain  or  brightly  coloured,  is  then  worn 
round  the  waist,  which  is  supported  by  a  wide  belt  of 
tanned  leather,  in  which  his  broad-bladed  knife  is 
carried.    The  upper  part  of  his  body  is  covered  with 

148 


COIFFURES 


a  half-tobe,  which  is  often  draped  in  such  a  way  as 
to  conceal  his  weapons.  On  his  feet  he  wears 
sandals,  made,  if  possible,  from  the  hide  of  a  giraffe. 

A  Somali  always  prefers  to  travel  at  night,  when 
practicable,  and  to  rest  and  sleep  during  the  day. 
But  when  compelled  to  march  in  the  heat,  he  often 
wears  his  half-tobe  as  a  turban  and  covering  for  his 
face  combined,  and  will  leave  his  body  from  the  waist 
upwards  uncovered.  I  often  noticed  my  own  men  doing 
this,  and  when  we  were  exposed  to  the  tremendous 
heat  experienced  in  the  arid  sun-scorched  wilderness 
of  Arroga  and  Rama  Gudi,  they  would  in  addition 
cut  branches  from  a  bush,  and  covering  these  with  an 
old  rag  or  odd  piece  of  sacking,  would  use  them  as  a 
kind  of  sunshade. 

The  true  bush  Somali  wears  his  hair  long.  They 
are  not  in  the  habit  of  bleaching  it,  as  is  the  fashion 
in  northern  Somaliland ;  they  keep  it  carefully 
anointed  with  ghee,  and  generally  wear  one  or  two 
hair-combs  stuck  in  it.  These  are  shaped  like  a 
skewer,  but  chiefs  often  wear  more  elaborate  ones 
handsomely  carved.  The  young  women  wear  their 
hair  loose,  plaited  for  about  half  its  length  and  then 
fluffed  out.  After  marriage,  however,  it  is  tied  into 
a  kind  of  bag  of  black  or  blue  gauze.  Among  the 
Aulehan  I  saw  married  women  with  a  red  cloth 
tied  tightly  over  their  hair,  although  I  do  not  think 
this  is  a  habit  confined  to  that  tribe  ;  but,  at  any  rate, 
it  is  less  common  than  the  usual  black  cloth. 

The  warriors  on  the  march  carry,  in  addition  to 
their  knife,  a  round  shield  made  of  giraffe  hide  about 
14  inches  in  diameter  strapped  to  their  left  arm,  a 
short  broad-bladed  spear,  a  wooden  pillow  on  their 
left  wrist,  a  small  water-bottle  and  a  "tooth-stick." 

149 


ARMS 


The  hunters  carry  in  addition  a  bow  and  arrow  if 
they  have  no  rifle,  a  light  stick  to  which  is  attached 
a  bunch  of  marabou  feathers  for  testing  the  wind,  and 
a  hollow  stick  about  2  feet  long  by  \  inch  in  diameter 
for  drinking  water,  when  it  is  situated  deep  down 
amongst  the  rocks,  or  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree  trunk. 
Fastened  to  the  quiver  in  which  they  carry  their 
arrows  are  two  small  bags ;  one  contains  the  iron 
arrow-heads,  which  only  fit  loosely  in  the  shafts, 
some  poison  for  smearing  on  them,  manufactured 
from  an  evergreen,  locally  known  as  the  Wabayu,  little 
bits  of  gut  for  tying  on  the  feathers,  and  various  odds 
and  ends  ;  the  other  smaller  one  contains  charms  of 
all  kinds,  some  of  which  may  consist  of  verses  of  the 
Koran,  while  others  may  be  merely  little  bits  of  cloth, 
a  lion's  tooth,  a  rusty  nail  or  similar  small  objects, 
which  they  believe  will  bring  them  success. 

Very  curious  was  a  hook,  strangely  twisted  and 
ornamented,  about  3  inches  long,  made  of  soft  iron, 
which  I  noticed  was  carried  by  most  of  these  hunters. 
I  was  able  to  obtain  one  specimen,  but  could  not  elicit 
any  information  from  its  owner  as  to  its  use.  I  am 
at  a  loss  to  understand  what  purpose  it  may  serve, 
unless  they  employ  it  for  roasting  meat  above  the 
fire,  in  which  case  it  would  seem  that  the  natives 
would  have  had  no  objection  to  tell  me. 

All  implements  of  iron  are  made  by  a  certain  class 
of  dependant  known  as  the  Tomal.  These  men  are 
Somali  who  have  married  a  woman  of  the  Midgan, 
an  outcast  tribe,  whose  origin  is  wrapped  in  obscurity. 
The  Tomal  are  despised  by  the  Somali,  and  are 
treated  as  inferiors,  but  why  they  are  not  allowed  to 
possess  cattle,  with  very  rare  exceptions,  and  why  they 
are  compelled  to  become  iron-workers,  is  a  mystery 

150 


LEATHER — SPEARS 


that  has  not  yet  been  solved.  The  iron  required  is 
obtained  from  the  coast  through  Arab  traders,  and 
payment  is  made  for  it  with  cattle,  hides  or  ghee. 

The  Midgan  men  themselves  tan  the  leather  that 
is  required  for  the  manufacture  of  shields,  sandals, 
belts  and  water-bottles.  The  skins  most  prized  in 
Jubaland  are  those  of  the  giraffe  {Giraffa  reticulata), 
the  rhinoceros,  which  is  very  rare,  and  the  oryx  beisa. 
In  the  bulls  of  the  latter  species  the  skin  over  the 
withers  and  lower  part  of  the  neck  is  extraordinarily 
thick  and  tough.  This  peculiarity  in  the  oryx  beisa  may 
have  been  developed  as  a  protection  against  their  sharp 
spear-like  horns  when  they  are  fighting  one  another. 

The  spears  carried  by  the  warriors,  of  which  there 
are  a  considerable  variety,  are  usually  fitted  with  thin 
strong  shafts  made  from  a  variety  of  wood.  Some 
are  quite  ornamental,  cut  from  trees  especially  selected 
for  their  fine  even  grain,  and  highly  polished  by 
rubbing  in  ghee,  which  imparts  a  rich  dark  yellow 
gloss  to  the  surface  ;  others  are  fashioned  from  a  kind 
of  wood  that  resembles  hickory  ;  others,  again,  are 
made  of  ebony,  which  is  also  treated  with  ghee.  The 
latter  kind  are  only  carried  by  those  warriors  who  have 
killed  an  enemy  ;  this  distinction,  which  confers  upon  a 
man  the  privilege  of  wearing  the  11  Bal,"  or  feathered 
head-dress,  is  eagerly  sought  after,  and  the  young  men 
are  always  on  the  look-out  for  the  opportunity  of  gain- 
ing it.  Among  certain  tribes  I  have  been  told  that  a 
man  cannot  marry  until  he  has  thus  proved  his  metal. 

The  wooden  sleeping-pillows  are  of  a  variety  of 
shapes,  ranging  from  the  pattern  with  the  single  leg, 
as  carried  by  the  poor  man,  to  that  cut  out  of  a  solid 
piece  of  wood,  15  inches  in  diameter,  with  six  legs, 
which  are  very  rare  and  only  used  by  men  of  import- 

151 


DIET 


ance.  Mohammed  Ali,  the  chief  of  the  Maghabul 
Somali,  gave  me  one  of  the  latter,  which  was  most 
elaborately  carved  ;  it  had  been  treated  with  ghee, 
and  was  of  a  rich  red  brown  colour.  The  wooden 
ghee  spoons  are  ornamented  in  a  similar  fashion ;  it  is 
usual,  though  by  no  means  always  the  case,  for  a  rich 
man  to  have  his  cattle  brand  cut  on  the  back  of  the 
handle,  for  a  similar  reason,  I  suppose,  that  a  man  in 
Europe  will  have  his  coat  of  arms  engraved  on  his  silver 
ware.  Thus,  amongst  others,  I  have  in  my  posses- 
sion spoons  which  have  the  following  marks  on  the  back 

  I 

:  1     — which  are  respectively  the  cattle 

brands  of  Mohammed  Ali  and  Abdi  Aden. 

The  Somali  in  the  interior  are  by  force  of  circum- 
stances abstemious  in  their  habits.  Their  sole  habitual 
diet  is  milk  and  ghee  :  no  fruit,  no  vegetables,  seldom 
any  rice  and  rarely  flesh,  for  they  will  not,  if  possible, 
kill  any  of  their  own  stock  for  food.  Yet  they  are 
inordinately  fond  of  meat,  and  if  a  camel  falls  sick  and 
can  no  longer  work,  they  will  cut  his  throat  and  cook 
and  eat  every  scrap  of  flesh.  They  also  boil  down 
all  the  fat,  thus  making  a  kind  of  lard  to  which  they 
are  extremely  partial.  Being  strict  Mussulmans  they 
will  not  touch  alcohol  of  any  kind,  not  even  when  ill. 
But  they  have  another  kind  of  drink,  peculiar,  I  believe, 
to  Jubaland  Somali,  called  "  Buni."  It  is  prepared 
in  the  following  way.  The  coffee,  consisting  of  the 
entire  berry,  is  first  roasted,  or,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  fried 
in  ghee  ;  the  latter  is  then  poured  off  into  a  dish, 
which  is  handed  round  to  each  man,  beginning  with 
the  eldest.  In  turn  they  dip  their  hands  in,  and 
solemnly  rub  their  faces,  head  or  limbs  with  the  ghee, 
according  to  their  individual  taste  ;  meanwhile,  the 


"BUNI" 


berries  are  boiled  in  a  little  water,  with  which  a  good 
deal  of  sugar,  if  they  have  any,  or  honey,  has  been 
mixed,  and  more  ghee  is  added.  This  mixture  is 
allowed  to  simmer  over  the  fire  for  a  few  minutes  ;  it 
is  then  poured  out  into  one  large  or  several  small 
cups,  which  are  handed  round,  and  the  sickly  mess  is 
then  sipped  with  the  greatest  relish,  and  the  berries 
are  eaten.  They  claim  that  it  possesses  marvellous 
properties,  that  it  relieves  fatigue  and  pains  of  all 
sorts,  clears  the  brain  and  makes  1 'the  heart  glad." 
The  drinking  of  buni,  involving  though  it  does 
an  unbending  formality,  is  invariably  observed  before 
anything  can  be  discussed,  before  any  dance  can  be 
begun  or  any  important  decision  can  be  taken. 

With  discontented  Somali  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
provide  a  quantity  of  buni ;  they  will  invariably  drink 
it,  and  thus  comforted,  they  will  talk  their  fancied 
wrongs  over  for  hours,  perhaps  with  one  of  your  own 
trusted  men,  until  very  often  their  anger  cools,  and 
everything  can  be  settled  in  an  amicable  manner 
satisfactory  to  both  sides.  This  coffee  therefore  formed 
one  of  the  principal  and  most  important  items  of  my 
trade  goods,  and  no  traveller  should  attempt  a  journey 
into  the  interior  without  a  plentiful  supply  of  it. 

The  Jubaland  Somali  are  very  fond  of  singing  and 
dancing,  but  they  neither  use  nor  possess  musical 
instruments  of  any  kind,  not  even  the  tom-tom,  of 
which  the  Arabs  are  very  fond.  They  have  songs 
suitable  for  almost  every  occasion,  many  of  them  being 
of  a  religious  nature.  Of  the  latter  type  perhaps  the 
most  interesting  is  the  "  Song  of  Thanksgiving,"  which 
consists  of  a  solo  and  chorus,  rendering  praise  to 
Allah  when  water  has  at  last  been  reached  after  a 
long  and  dangerous  march. 

153 


THE  CAMEL 


The  stern  faces  of  the  men,  upon  which  the  hard- 
ships and  poverty  of  their  daily  life  and  the  ever- 
present  dangers  to  which  they  are  exposed  have  im- 
printed an  indelible  mark,  the  real  gratitude  to  Allah, 
the  All  Powerful,  Who  Alone  knows  what  is  best  for 
His  children,  expressed  in  their  voices,  and  the  circum- 
stances in  which  it  is  sung,  all  combine  to  form  a 
picture  that  is  at  once  solemn  and  impressive. 

Somewhat  cruel  by  nature,  the  Somali  is  lavish 
of  kindness  and  affection  to  his  camel ;  it  forms  the 
subject  of  innumerable  songs,  in  which  one  man 
addresses  the  camel,  while  the  rest  answer  for  him, 
thus  carrying  on  a  kind  of  running  conversation. 
As  soon  as  I  would  give  the  order  to  halt  and 
unload,  the  syces  would  begin  singing,  "  Aurki 
dalai  \"  ("  My  camel  is  tired !  "),  to  which  the  men  who 
were  helping  would  cry  out  in  answer  for  the  camel, 
"  Dika  so  dig!"  ("Then  place  it  (i.e.  the  load)  on 
the  ground !  ").  And  this  would  be  repeated  in  end- 
less iteration  until  the  camels  were  unloaded.  In  the 
same  way  in  the  mornings  I  have  often  eaten  my 
breakfast  to  the  sound  of  my  head  syce  singing, 
"  Wa  fa  liligo  !  "  Pick  up  the  load !  "),  to  which  the 
men  would  roar  out  in  chorus  a  line,  which  I  never  quite 
caught,  meaning,  "  Then  tie  it  on  tight !  "  And  there 
are  a  number  of  variations  on  the  same  theme.  It 
was  always  pleasant  to  listen,  as  I  knew  my  men 
were  happy  and  contented.  I  never  forbade  them 
to  sing,  unless  circumstances  demanded  it,  as,  for 
instance,  when  we  were  in  the  Aulehan  country,  and 
were  expecting  an  attack.  And  I  tried  to  allow 
them  as  much  liberty  and  freedom  as  when  travelling 
by  themselves,  so  long  as  this  was  compatible  with 
obedience  and  discipline,  for  there  must  be  much 

*54 


A  WAR  DANCE 


that  is  irksome  and  trying  in  a  long  journey.  And 
I  think  they  appreciated  my  attitude  towards  them, 
for  they  showed  unquestioning  obedience  to  my 
slightest  command,  and  helped  me  in  every  way  to 
the  best  of  their  ability,  by  combining  to  help  each 
other  in  their  respective  work.  I  will  give  one 
illustration  of  the  kind  feeling  and  thought  fulness 
they  will  show  if  well  treated.  Smoking  is  one  of 
their  few  luxuries.  Yet  when  I  had  finished  my 
tobacco,  and  the  men  heard  of  it,  one  of  my  syces, 
whom  I  had  recently  lightly  punished  for  some 
trivial  offence,  went  round  and  collected  a  little  of 
the  precious  weed  from  each,  and  then  came  up 
and  presented  it  to  me,  in  such  a  way  that  it  was 
impossible  to  refuse. 

Their  favourite  dance  is  the  war  dance.  Ten 
or  twelve  men,  fully  armed  with  spear,  shield  and 
knife,  and  wearing  their  sandals,  gather  together 
round  an  ox-hide,  which  is  stretched  in  the  centre 
of  the  dancing-place.  The  rest  of  the  spectators 
form  a  hollow  square  around  them,  while  farther 
back  the  women  stand  on  the  outermost  edge  of  the 
ring.  At  a  given  signal  the  warriors  begin  singing 
and  then  dancing  in  a  circle,  at  first  slowly,  but 
gradually  faster  and  faster.  From  time  to  time  one 
of  them  will  rush  towards  their  chief,  leaping  high 
in  the  air,  brandishing  his  spear  and  saluting,  while 
the  others  all  stamp  together  upon  the  ox-hide.  They 
gradually  work  themselves  into  a  perfect  frenzy  of 
excitement ;  the  spectators  join  in  the  songs,  keeping 
time  by  stamping  on  the  hard  ground,  while  above 
the  uproar  can  be  heard  the  thin  shrill  cries  of  the 
women,  voicing  their  approval. 

Chiefs  of  tribes  are  buried  with  some  ceremony. 

155 


THE  BONI 

Their  followers  build  huge  mounds  of  earth  about 
20  feet  high  above  their  graves,  and  they  then 
surround  it  with  a  strongly  built  fence,  made  of  logs 
of  wood  placed  horizontally  between  heavy  upright 
posts. 

No  account  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jubaland  would 
be  complete  without  a  reference  to  that  interesting 
and  little-known  tribe,  the  Boni.  These  strange 
people  originally  inhabited  the  southern  regions  of 
Abyssinia,  whence  they  have  made  their  way  south- 
west into  the  district  of  Arnoleh  in  Jubaland.  They 
are  hardly  a  thousand  in  all,  and  their  numbers  are 
fast  diminishing,  so  that  in  a  few  years  they  will 
probably  have  disappeared  completely,  or  have 
become  merged  among  the  Somali.  They  live  in 
subjection  to  the  latter,  unmolested  so  long  as  they 
pay  a  tribute  of  one  tusk  from  every  elephant  killed. 
Under  this  agreement  they  are  allowed  to  hunt 
where  they  wish.  By  some  the  Waboni  are  believed 
to  be  the  original  inhabitants  of  this  part  of  British 
East  Africa.  At  any  rate,  they  depend  entirely  on 
hunting  for  their  food,  as  do  the  Wandorobo  of 
the  Kenya  country.  Their  knowledge  of  bush-craft 
is  perfectly  astonishing,  and  as  hunters  and  trackers 
I  have  never  seen  their  equals.  They  have  been 
much  harassed  and  persecuted  by  the  young  Somali, 
and  are  consequently  very  shy  and  suspicious  of 
strangers,  preferring  to  make  their  homes  in  the 
most  impenetrable  bush,  in  which  they  immediately 
take  refuge  at  the  slightest  sign  of  danger. 

According  to  Captain  R.  E.  Salkeld,  who  has 
spent  twelve  years  in  Jubaland,  many  of  the  Waboni 
are  the  property  of  a  private  individual  of  a  Somali 
tribe,  and   I  was  warned  that  should  I  engage  a 

156 


The  Back  of  the  Handle  of  a 
Somali  Ghee  Spoons  Ghee  Spoon 

Showing  the  owner's  cattle  brand  carved  in  the 
wood. 


A    REMARKABLE    WOODEN  SLEEPING 
REK    DIFFERENT    STYLES    OF    HAIR  PlLLOW 


COMBS  Cut  from  a  single  block  of  wood.  It  was  made 

especially  for  Mohammed  AH,  the  Sultan  of  the 
As  used  by  the  Ogaden  Somali.  Maghabul  tiibe,  and  w  as  given  to  me  by  him. 


ADMINISTRATION 


Boni  guide  it  would  be  inadvisable  to  take  him  out 
of  the  tribal  district.  Their  marriage  customs  are 
simple,  and  depend  upon  whether  the  man  can 
provide  sufficient  cloth  to  satisfy  the  girl's  father. 
If  he  can,  she  immediately  becomes  his  wife.  The 
Boni  language,  according  to  Mr.  F.  Elliott,  is  at 
present  unwritten,  but  resembles  Somali  to  a  certain 
degree,  though  the  differences  are  too  great  for 
mutual  understanding. 

The  administration  of  the  natives  in  Jubaland 
represents  an  extremely  difficult  problem.  The  chiefs 
of  the  tribes  naturally  profess  friendship,  since  the 
Government  pays  them  a  monthly  salary  of  from 
Rs.  65  to  Rs.  75,  and  supplies  them  with  a  few 
rifles  and  cartridges.  Whenever  their  followers 
openly  disobey,  and  the  chiefs'  pay  is  stopped 
temporarily  in  consequence,  they  put  all  the  blame 
on  the  young  men,  saying  the  latter  have  acted 
without  their  knowledge,  and  so  the  affair  is  smoothed 
over.  The  interior  of  the  country,  especially  in  the 
south,  is  unknown  and  unsafe,  and  will  be  for  some 
time  no  doubt. 

This  state  of  affairs  is,  of  course,  very  unsatis- 
factory, but  no  blame  can  be  attached  to  the  officials, 
for  they  are  handicapped  by  lack  of  men  and  money, 
and  are  hampered  by  red  tape.  There  are  two  main 
difficulties  that  face  the  administration.  When  it 
is  necessary  to  punish  offenders  it  is  exceedingly 
difficult  to  find  them,  inasmuch  as  being  nomads, 
the  natives  wander  widely  through  an  unknown 
country  ;  secondly,  since  there  are  no  roads,  and  the 
bush  is  generally  very  dense,  it  is  far  too  risky  to 
send  out  a  small  expedition,  while  the  expense  of  a 
large  one  is  too  heavy.    Therefore  the  offenders, 

157 


TRADE 


as  in  the  case  of  the  murderers  of  the  late  Mr. 
A.  C.  W.  Jenner,  go  generally  unpunished.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  one  thing  the  Government 
cannot  afford  is  a  reverse,  for  anything  that  would 
tend  to  lower  our  prestige  further  would  be  absolutely 
disastrous.  It  has  been  brought  too  low  already 
by  the  way  we  have  acted  in  the  Somaliland 
Protectorate. 

Now  I  believe  there  is  only  one  factor  that  will 
solve  the  problem  which  the  administration  of 
Jubaland  presents,  and  that  is  trade.  The  Somali 
are  quite  intelligent  enough  to  realise  the  value  of 
trade,  indeed,  they  are  beginning  to  do  so,  and  have 
already  grasped  the  value  of  money.  They  possess 
enormous  herds  of  cattle,  goats  and  sheep,  and  they 
need  rice,  maize,  cloth  and  iron.  But  before  this 
trade  can  be  developed  the  country  must  be  opened 
out,  and,  if  possible,  the  natives  must  settle  down  in 
their  respective  districts.  In  other  chapters  I  have 
indicated  all  the  main  water-holes  and  swamps,  which 
are  at  present  semi-permanent,  and  which  if  cleared, 
and  in  some  cases  deepened,  could  be  made  into 
permanent  reservoirs  at  a  low  cost.  If  this  were 
done  and  the  native  trails  cleared  and  broadened  into 
roads,  the  natives  would  settle  down  permanently 
round  the  reservoirs,  only  too  glad  to  be  rid  of  the 
constant  anxiety  as  regards  a  sufficient  water-supply 
for  themselves  and  their  cattle.  At  these  points 
police  posts  could  gradually  be  instituted,  and  the 
roads  would  not  only  be  invaluable  for  police  patrols 
and  for  enabling  the  officials  to  move  from  one  place 
to  another,  but  would  give  a  very  real  impetus  to 
trade,  the  value  of  which,  for  purposes  of  civilisation, 
cannot  be  overestimated. 

158 


CHAPTER  XIV 


THE  DISCOVERY  OF  GULOLA  SWAMP 

Mohammed  Ali  paid  me  another  visit  on  the  morning 
after  our  last  interview.  In  addition  to  the  presents 
he  had  already  given  me,  he  brought  more  milk, 
and  on  this  occasion  a  sheep  also.  It  is,  of  course, 
customary  to  give,  in  return,  trade  goods  that  some- 
what exceed  in  value  the  presents  received ;  these 
gifts  become  sometimes  rather  embarrassing  if  one's 
stock  of  trade  goods  is  limited.  In  this  case,  however, 
I  was  rather  pleased  than  otherwise,  as  my  men  were 
delighted  with  the  milk,  and  mutton  was  a  pleasant 
change  from  the  tough,  stringy  meat  of  the  wild 
animals  I  had  shot. 

He  did  not,  however,  bring  me  very  encouraging 
news.  Nobody  in  his  village  knew  the  country 
between  Gulola  and  Lorian,  and  the  best,  therefore, 
that  he  could  do  was  to  provide  me  with  two  men 
who  would  take  me  as  far  as  Jeldez,  a  well-known 
water-hole  on  the  old  Galla  trail  that  led  between 
Afmadu  and  the  Lorian  to  the  south  of  the  Lak 
Dera.  I  was  most  disappointed,  as,  from  what  Abdi 
Aden  led  me  to  believe,  I  had  been  counting  on 
Mohammed  Ali  to  provide  me  with  guides,  and  I 
did  not  at  all  relish  the  thought  of  leading  my  men 
through  an  unknown  country  with  no  idea  of  the 
number  or  position  of  the  water-holes.  Existing 
maps  were  useless,  the  country  hereabouts  being  only 

159 


VARIOUS  PROBLEMS 


represented  on  them  by  blank  spaces,  and  the  position 
of  the  Lorian  Swamp  varied  on  the  different  sheets 
by  nearly  one  degree ! 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  not  had  the 
privilege,  shall  I  say,  of  travelling  through  such  a 
country  as  Jubaland,  I  will  point  out  the  various 
problems  that  face  the  leader  of  an  expedition.  The 
country  is  generally  unknown,  pathless  and,  in  many 
districts,  waterless.  Frequently  it  is  so  thick  with 
bush  that  it  appears  almost  impossible  to  cut  a  way 
through.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  in  the  interior 
the  natives  are  unfriendly  towards  the  white  man 
and  are  notoriously  treacherous.  The  only  possible 
method  of  progress  is  to  travel  from  water-hole  to 
water-hole,  which  lie  perhaps  sixty  or  even  a  hundred 
miles  apart.  After  a  series  of  exhausting  and  trying 
marches,  beset  with  every  kind  of  difficulty  and 
hardship,  a  water-hole  is  reached,  and  found  perhaps 
to  be  dry.  By  this  time  the  water-tanks  are  three- 
parts  empty,  and  the  men  are  almost  certainly  dis- 
couraged and  discontented,  owing  to  the  enormous 
amount  of  work  they  have  had  to  perform  in  cutting 
a  path  through  the  bush  ;  moreover,  they  are  probably 
ill  at  ease  and  nervous,  for  there  is  always  the 
possibility  of  an  attack  by  a  party  of  young  Somali 
warriors,  anxious  to  qualify  for  the  privilege  of 
wearing  the  "  Bal,"  and  carrying  the  black-shafted 
spear,  the  special  insignia  of  those  who  have  killed 
an  enemy.  The  next  water-hole  is  perhaps  another 
fifty  or  sixty  miles  ahead.  Only  two  courses  are 
now  open,  either  to  retrace  one's  steps  or  to  go  on 
in  the  hope  of  finding  water  at  the  next  place.  If 
the  latter  plan  is  followed,  and  the  water-hole  again 
proves  to  be  dry,  both  the  traveller  and  his  men 

1 60 


A  MARKET 


must  inevitably  die  of  thirst.  In  deciding  which 
course  to  pursue,  the  leader  cannot  help  remembering 
that  his  men  trust  in  him  with  implicit  confidence 
to  bring  them  back  safely  home. 

Such  are  the  problems  that  face  the  traveller 
every  day  in  Jubaland ;  and  at  Gulola  I  was  con- 
fronted with  them  in  a  particularly  aggravated  form. 
For  as  I  have  said  I  could  obtain  no  guides,  I  was 
ignorant  of  the  position  and  number  of  the  water-holes, 
or  even  if  there  were  any  at  all,  and  I  knew  that  the 
Mohammed  Zubheir  and  the  Talamuga  Somali  were 
at  war.  At  all  times  turbulent  and  insubordinate,  a 
party  of  their  warriors  would  be  now  even  more 
dangerous  to  encounter  than  at  other  times,  whether 
they  were  elated  by  victory  or  embittered  by  defeat. 
But  I  had  set  my  heart  on  reaching  the  Lorian,  so 
after  considering  the  question  of  success  very  carefully, 
I  decided  to  go  on. 

After  Mohammed  Ali  had  left  me  I  sent  word 
down  to  the  "rerM  (village)  to  say  that  I  wished  to 
hold  a  market  that  afternoon,  at  which  I  desired 
chiefly  to  buy  ghee  for  my  men,  that  I  would  pay  in 
the  form  of  trade  goods  preferred  by  the  seller,  and 
that  my  stock  would  be  exposed  to  view  before  my 
tent.  At  first  no  one  would  come,  but  at  length  a 
very  aged  woman,  wrinkled  and  bent  beyond  belief, 
came  in  carrying  a  little  ghee  in  a  pot.  After  naming 
her  price,  the  headman  gave  her  the  choice  of  a 
corresponding  value  of  cloth,  coffee,  beads,  "  tusbah  " 
(rosaries),  perfumes  or  tobacco.  She  hesitated  for  a 
long  time,  muttering  to  herself  the  while,  but  finally 
chose  a  brightly  coloured  loin-cloth,  of  the  kind  worn 
by  young  warriors,  and  amidst  shouts  of  laughter 
from  my  men,  retired  to  the  village  clutching  it  to 
L  161 


A  PICTURESQUE  SCENE 


her  shrivelled  breast.  Then  others  came,  some 
young,  some  old,  with  their  little  babies  tied  in  bags 
upon  their  back  or  clinging  to  their  skirts  (such  as 
they  had !),  and  soon  I  had  bought  all  the  ghee  I 
needed. 

It  was  a  scene  of  bustle  and  activity.  Trading 
went  on  briskly  and  I  bought  amongst  other  things 
wooden  pillows,  ghee  spoons,  hair  combs  and  other 
small  objects  that  are  commonly  used  by  the  Somali. 
Everyone  was  in  the  best  of  tempers,  jokes  were 
bandied  about,  and  peals  of  laughter  rang  out 
continuously.  Old  men  and  women  were  moving 
slowly  through  the  crowd,  the  traces  left  by  the 
hardships  and  poverty  of  their  daily  lives  showing 
clearly  in  their  bent  forms  and  wrinkled  faces  ;  young 
girls,  with  curiously  dressed  hair,  clothed  in  the  loose 
white  robes  which  emphasised  rather  than  concealed 
the  lithe  beauty  of  their  graceful  forms,  held  by  the 
hand  tiny  little  boys  with  shaven  heads,  whose  small 
brown  bodies  were  innocent  of  clothes  ;  they  wandered 
round  together,  gazing  with  awe  and  wonder  at  my 
tent  and  my  belongings  within.  Having  satisfied 
their  curiosity,  they  began  to  return  to  their  village, 
and  when  the  sun  was  sinking  and  the  time  for  prayer 
was  at  hand,  they  were  all  gone,  and  my  camp 
resumed  its  normal  aspect. 

Mahommed  Ali  visited  me  after  supper  on  the 
evening  previous  to  my  departure  and  said  he  would 
accompany  me  himself  to  Jeldez,  so  that  no  one  might 
say  afterwards  that  he  had  not  done  his  best  to  help 
the  first  white  man  who  had  been  willing  to  visit  his 
country.  I  took  this  opportunity  of  giving  him  my 
present,  consisting  of  cloths,  silks,  perfumes  and 
buni,  with  which  he  seemed  very  pleased.  When 

162 


FAME  AS  A  DOCTOR 


thanking  me  he  said,  with  the  charming  exaggeration 
of  the  Oriental,  that  he  would  have  been  equally 
gratified  with  much  less,  for  a  gift  is  soon  forgotten, 
but  that  the  pleasure  his  acquaintance  with  me  had 
given  him,  and  the  pride  he  felt  in  having  entertained 
me,  would  never  fade  from  his  memory  ! 

Although  my  relations  with  the  natives  had  made 
my  stay  at  Gulola  a  very  pleasant  one,  the  camp  itself 
was  an  unhealthy  one,  owing  to  the  swampy  nature 
of  the  soil  and  its  low-lying  situation.  I  had  a  great 
deal  of  malaria  to  deal  with  among  my  men,  and  I 
was  also  suffering  myself  from  a  slight  return  of 
dysentery.  Having  been  rather  successful  in  dealing 
with  the  ailments  of  my  own  men,  my  fame  as  a 
doctor  was  spread  abroad  in  the  village  and  daily 
many  cases  were  brought  to  me  for  treatment !  On 
one  occasion  a  man,  whom  I  had  cured  of  a  very  mild 
form  of  ophthalmia,  came  up  and  asked  me  for  some 
medicine  for  his  mother.  In  reply  to  my  questions 
as  to  the  symptoms  of  her  illness,  he  answered  that 
she  was  growing  very  old,  and  he  seemed  very 
disappointed  when  I  told  him  that  this  was  a  malady 
beyond  my  power  to  cure ! 

At  last  however,  one  morning,  I  left  Gulola  at 
sunrise,  leading  the  way  with  one  guide,  while 
Mahommed  Ali  followed  with  the  camels,  accompanied 
by  his  "body-guard."  The  latter  was  an  extremely 
minute  individual,  not  five  feet  in  height,  but  very 
sturdily  built ;  he  was  a  Galla  slave  captured 
in  war,  but  was  now  a  freeman,  though  he  still 
worked  for  Mahommed  Ali  in  return  for  his  food. 
He  carried  an  ancient  French  rifle  (a  Fusil  Gras 
model  1873)  and  two  cartridges.  During  the 
three  days  that  he  accompanied  my  caravan  he  was 

163 


SWAMPY  LAND 


never  parted  from  those  cartridges  ;  they  were  always 
somewhere  about  his  person — in  his  hair,  behind  his 
ears  or  in  his  mouth. 

We  marched  to  the  north-east  at  first  through  the 
open  bush.    There  was  no  trail,  and  we  were  often 
up  to  our  knees  in  the  mud  ;  for  the  whole  place  is 
like  a  swamp,  for  there  is  not  sufficient  slope  to  carry 
the  water  off.    But  I  was  told  that  for  the  last  two 
years  there  had  been  no  rain,  and  as  the  country  is 
chiefly  sandy  and   the  feed  poor,  it  is  generally 
uninhabited,  except  after  a  good  rainy  season.  As 
regards  the  Bisahu  Hamu,  marked  on  almost  every 
map  as  an  important  swamp,  its  name  is  unknown  to 
the  natives,  but  north  of  Bussa  Berora,  about  twenty- 
five  miles  north-east  of  Gulola,  there  is  a  large  plain 
covered  with  coarse  grass  that  no  doubt  becomes 
swampy  during  the  rains,  but  it  cannot  be  relied  on 
even  as  a  temporary  water-hole.    We  soon  reached  a 
good  trail  running  east  and  west.    This  is  the  native 
trail  that  runs  between  Hadamamel  Dabassa  and 
Gulola  Swamp.    The  former  place  is  an  important 
water-hole  situated  immediately  to  the  south  of  the 
Lak  Guran,  twenty-three  miles  due  east  of  Gonia- 
iddu.     We   followed   this   path   going  westwards, 
though  not  without  difficulty,  for  the  camels  were 
continually  slipping  in  the  mud,  and  were  compelled 
to  walk  very  slowly.    The  country,  however,  was 
lovely  ;   giant  acacias  stretched  out  their  spreading 
branches  towards  each  other,  enshrouding  the  under- 
growth  in   perpetual   shade,   while   dense  tropical 
vegetation    overran    everything,    dripping    in  airy 
festoons  from  the  trees  above,  and  running  riot  over 
the   earth   beneath.    A   profound   silence  reigned, 
unbroken  save  for   the  occasional  ' ' tap-tap"  of  a 

164 


GULOLA  SWAMP 


woodpecker,  or  the  whistle  of  some  frightened  dik- 
dik. 

Two  hours  later  I  reached  Gulola  Swamp.  This 
important  water-hole  is  situated  just  south  of  the 
Equator,  some  seven  miles  north-west  of  Gulola 
village.  It  is  roughly  circular  in  shape,  and  about 
twelve  miles  in  circumference ;  and,  although  sur- 
rounded by  almost  impenetrable  jungle,  the  centre  is 
open  and  I  should  imagine  very  deep,  for  the  bottom 
slopes  sharply  down  from  the  edge  of  the  swamp. 
After  a  plentiful  rainy  season,  this  pool  lasts  through- 
out the  year,  and  would  amply  suffice  to  water  several 
thousand  head  of  cattle  during  that  time.  But  it 
has  been  known  to  dry  up,  with  disastrous  results 
to  the  Somali  and  their  cattle,  who  were  dependent 
on  it. 

Two  years  previously  it  had  failed,  and  the  heaps 
of  dried  and  whitening  bones  that  lay  in  its  immediate 
vicinity  bore  eloquent  testimony  to  the  tragedy  that 
ensued.  I  do  not  think  that  it  would  be  either  a 
difficult  or  costly  enterprise  to  clear  and  deepen  the 
pool  sufficiently  to  make  it  a  permanent  reservoir. 
If  this  were  done  it  would  prove  an  inestimable  boon 
to  the  natives.  As  I  was  examining  the  swamp,  the 
camels  overtook  me  and  passed  on  to  the  northwards. 
I  followed  them  an  hour  afterwards,  marching  at  a 
good  pace  along  the  trail  which  they  had  made. 

On  leaving  Gulola  Swamp  the  whole  aspect  of 
the  country  changed  with  startling  abruptness,  and 
became  arid  in  the  extreme.  The  ground  was 
sandy,  and  the  bush  seemed  to  grow  denser  and  more 
impenetrable  as  we  proceeded.  The  overhanging 
branches,  though  they  clung  to  my  clothes  and  tore 
them,  afforded  no  shade,  while  the  loose  nature  of  the 

165 


A  SURPRISE 


soil  made  walking  slow  and  exhausting.  At  ten  o'clock, 
according  to  my  observations,  I  crossed  the  Equator. 
From  that  time  until  I  passed  again  to  the  south,  near 
Meru,  I  remained  on  the  north  side  of  it,  but  at  no 
time  during  my  journey  was  I  more  than  a  degree  of 
latitude  from  it,  except  for  a  brief  period  in  the 
Lorian  district.  At  noon  I  came  up  with  my  "  safari  " 
resting  in  a  little  clearing  ;  my  chair  and  table  were 
in  the  scanty  shade  of  a  mimosa  tree  and  my  lunch 
was  ready  not  long  after.  After  I  finished  it  I  told 
my  headman  to  start  with  the  camels  at  1.30  and  not 
to  disturb  me.  Then  lying  down  on  my  saddle 
blankets  with  my  head  on  the  saddle,  I  was  soon  fast 
asleep  and  did  not  wake  again  till  nearly  three  o'clock. 
We  were  quickly  off  again,  and  I  caught  up  and 
passed  the  camels  two  hours  later. 

Towards  sunset  I  reached  a  small  pool,  much  to 
our  general  surprise,  and  I  decided  to  camp  near  by, 
having  covered  about  eighteen  miles  since  leaving 
Gulola  village.  A  warm  bath  greatly  refreshed  me, 
and  after  dinner  I  plotted  the  day's  work  on  my 
plane  table  sheet.  By  marching  due  north  from 
Gulola  to  Jeldez  and  thence  to  the  Lak  Dera,  I  hoped 
to  traverse  a  country  that  would  be  interesting 
geographically.  I  had  questioned  the  natives  care- 
fully about  the  district  lying  in  a  direct  line  between 
Lorian  and  Gulola,  and  they  all  agreed  in  saying 
that  it  was  a  "bad"  country,  waterless  and  unin- 
habited, and  the  bush  so  dense  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  take  camels  through  it.  It  is  known 
to  them  under  the  name  of  Rama  Gudi,  which  means 
"  wilderness." 

We  were  on  our  way  very  early  the  next  morning  ; 
the  air  was  terribly  oppressive  although  the  sky  was 

166 


HUNTING-DOGS 


clear,  and  the  bush  grew  even  more  arid,  if  possible, 
as  we  advanced.  It  was  darker  in  colour  and  entirely 
leafless  as  though  it  had  been  killed  by  a  hard  frost ! 
It  gave  the  country  a  most  curious  aspect,  while  to 
add  interest  to  the  scene,  there  was  evidence  every- 
where of  a  large  herd  of  elephants  having  passed  but 
a  few  days  ago  ;  in  fact  the  trail  we  were  following 
was  but  an  old  elephant  track.  The  ground  was 
strewn  with  chewed  bark  and  leaves,  great  branches 
had  been  broken  off,  small  trees  had  been  uprooted, 
while  on  every  side  the  imprints  of  their  huge  feet 
could  be  seen  in  the  sand. 

I  was  deeply  absorbed  in  noticing  these  things 
and  in  unravelling  the  story  they  told,  when  suddenly 
in  front  of  me  I  heard  the  loud  barking  of  dogs.  I 
was  so  surprised  I  could  not  imagine  what  it  could 
be,  but,  jumping  off  my  mule,  I  took  my  rifle,  and 
kneeling  down,  peered  through  the  bush  in  the 
direction  from  which  the  sounds  were  coming.  So 
dense  was  the  undergrowth  I  could  not  make  out 
anything  at  first,  but  suddenly  saw  three  dark  forms 
moving  through  the  scrub.  Before  I  could  raise  my 
rifle  they  had  disappeared,  and  though  I  found  and 
followed  their  spoor,  they  easily  made  their  escape. 
Their  barking  gradually  grew  fainter  and  then  died 
away  in  the  distance,  and  silence  fell  once  more  upon 
the  trackless  jungle.  From  the  glimpse  I  had  of 
them,  I  knew  that  they  were  hunting-dogs,  but  what 
triLV  were  doing  in  a  country  so  destitute  of  game  as 
this  I  am  quite  unable  to  say.  These  interesting  but 
unattractive  animals  stand  about  20  to  23  inches 
at  the  shoulder,  and  resemble  vaguely  the  spotted 
hyaena  in  coloration  and  general  appearance.  They 
differ  from  wolves  and  foxes  in  having  only  four  toes 

167 


TERRIBLE  HEAT 


on  the  front  as  well  as  on  the  hind  feet,  and  their  coat 
irregularly  spotted  with  tan  or  white  patches. 

Naturalists  recognise   six   races   based   on  the 
apparently  constant  variation  of  colour  in  the  different 
localities  in  which  they  are  found,  and  those  I  saw 
probably  belonged  to  the  race   known   as  Lycaon 
p ictus  lupiniis,  a  name  proposed  by  Mr.  O.  Thomas 
for  the  hunting-dogs  inhabiting  East  Africa,  whose 
special  characteristics  are  their  dark  colouring  and 
the  small  number  of  yellow  spots.    The  race  in- 
habiting Somaliland  is  known  as  L.  pictus  sontalicus, 
and  is  a  smaller  animal,  with  shorter  coat  and  less 
powerful  teeth.    Packs   of  hunting-dogs  soon  clear 
the  game  out  of  any  locality,  and  since  they  depend 
on  antelope  for  their  food,  they  do  not  long  remain  in 
one  spot.    They  are  generally  to  be  found  in  the 
bush  and  are  rarely  seen  on  the  open  plains.    It  has 
been  stated  that  they  will  readily  attack  a  human 
being,  but  I  have  never   heard   of  any  authentic 
instance.    I  was  sorry  I  was  unable  to  obtain  a  speci- 
men, but  I  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  pursue  them 
further,  and  so  returned  to  the  trail  and  continued 
the  march. 

The  sun  was  now  blazing  down  from  a  cloudless 
sky,  everything  was  burning  to  the  touch,  and  the 
glare  exceedingly  trying  to  the  eyes.  At  noon  I 
called  a  halt,  and  lay  down  beneath  a  thorn  bush, 
over  which  I  spread  my  saddle  blankets  to  keep  off 
the  sun  which  was  pouring  through  the  leafless 
branches,  and  soon,  in  spite  of  countless  small  ants,  I 
went  fast  to  sleep.  When  I  awoke  an  hour  later 
the  cook  had  ready  the  wing  of  a  guinea-fowl,  which 
I  had  shot  that  morning  near  Gulola  Swamp.  After 
an  excellent  meal  I  gave  the  order  to  load  up,  and 

1 68 


JELDEZ 


just  before  two  o'clock  we  were  on  our  way  once 
more.  As  I  stepped  out  from  my  little  patch  of 
shade  the  sun  almost  seemed  to  strike  me  a  physical 
blow,  and  the  ground  was  so  hot  that  it  was  really 
painful  to  the  feet  even  through  thick  boots ;  more- 
over, the  sand  rose  in  little  clouds  as  we  walked, 
hanging  above  us  like  a  copper-coloured  mist,  stirred 
now  and  again  by  gusts  of  wind  which,  instead  of 
bringing  freshness  to  the  burning  air,  only  seemed 
to  intensify  the  dreadful  heat.  The  bush  clutched  at 
my  clothes  as  though  it  had  a  thousand  hands,  or 
tripped  me  up  as  I  walked,  for  the  trail  was  so 
obstructed  that  it  was  impossible  to  ride.  Faintly 
behind  me  I  heard  the  chop,  chop  of  the  axes,  as  the 
men  cleared  the  worst  places  for  the  camels,  or  the 
swish  and  breaking  of  the  branches  as  the  poor 
brutes  forced  their  way  through.  We  walked  on  in 
silence,  save  once,  when  I  saw  some  guinea-fowl,  and 
brought  one  down  as  they  rose  above  the  bush. 

A  little  later,  very  unexpectedly,  we  came  upon  a 
little  pool  of  rain-water — very  stagnant  and  green,  it 
is  true,  but  still  water.  While  I  was  waiting  here 
for  the  camels  to  overtake  us,  the  clouds  gathered, 
and  there  was  a  short  shower,  followed  later  by  two 
more.  This  only  served  to  accentuate  our  dis- 
comforts, and,  rather  depressed  and  in  silence,  we  went 
on  again  still  to  the  north,  towards  Jeldez  ;  the  men 
were  exhausted  by  the  hard  work,  and  cursed  the 
climate  and  the  country  to  which  I  had  brought  them. 
At  last,  when  I  had  almost  given  up  hope  of  reaching 
our  destination  before  dark,  we  arrived  at  a  clearing 
in  the  bush  in  which  Jeldez  lay,  but  to  our  dismay 
found  it  dry.  I  had  plenty  of  water  with  me  for 
a  couple  of  days,  but  I  decided  to  camp  here  tem- 

169 


A  HONEY-BIRD 


porarily,  and  send  back  the  camels  in  the  morning  to 
fill  up  at  the  last  pool,  for  it  would  have  been  madness 
to  go  into  the  unknown  country  that  lay  beyond  with- 
out the  ten  water-tanks  being  full  of  water. 

While  I  was  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  rest  of 
the  11  Safari,"  I  noticed  a  little  bird  sitting  on  a  bush 
close  by  and  twittering  incessantly.  The  guide 
whistled  in  answer  and  off  it  fluttered  a  little  way, 
looking  back  at  us  all  the  time.  This  manoeuvre 
was  repeated,  until  it  led  us  to  a  dead  stump  of  a  tree 
in  which  I  found  some  honey.  Taking  the  greater 
part  of  it  for  myself,  I  left  the  rest  for  this  intelligent 
little  creature.  It  was  the  well-known  honey-bird, 
and  several  times  on  my  journey  I  was  able  to  procure 
honey  in  this  way.  The  Somali  are  very  fond  of  this 
bird,  and  will  not  molest  it  under  any  circumstances. 
They  assert  that  it  also  leads  them  occasionally  to 
an  elephant  who  has  died  in  the  bush,  but,  person- 
ally, I  have  never  had  this  experience.  When  I 
got  back  to  camp,  I  found  that  the  camels  had  already 
arrived,  and  were  being  unloaded  to  the  accompani- 
ment of  the  usual  songs. 


170 


CHAPTER  XV 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN 

As  it  turned  out  I  was  delayed  at  Jeldez  for  three 
days,  because  I  thought  it  advisable  to  send  men 
forward  to  see  if  they  could  find  water  ahead,  for  I 
was  now  about  to  enter  an  absolutely  unknown 
stretch  of  country  without  a  single  guide.  Mahomed 
Ali,  his  slave  and  his  companion,  returned  to  their 
village,  for  they  said,  in  an  interview  which  I  had 
with  them  the  day  before,  that  although  they  were 
willing  and  anxious  to  help  me  in  every  way,  they 
did  not  know  the  country  which  lay  to  the  west  at  all 
well,  and  they  were  afraid  that  if  the  next  two 
marches  should  prove  waterless,  they  would  be  unable 
to  return,  unless  I  gave  them  camels,  on  which  they 
could  carry  water.  These  I  could  not  spare,  for  of 
the  eighteen  with  which  I  started,  one  had  died  at 
Jana  Nyeri,  one  had  been  left  at  Gulola  with  an 
abscess  in  his  foot,  and  another  was  very  ill  with 
what  the  natives  called  4 4  camel  sickness,"  so  that  I 
had  only  sufficient  for  my  own  needs. 

Jeldez  is  a  well-known  water-hole  situated  on  the 
old  Galla  trail  between  Afmadu  and  Lorian.  This 
bush-path  has  been  completely  abandoned  by  the 
Somali,  who  prefer  to  travel  along  the  north  bank 
of  the  Lak  Dera,  where  water  -  holes  are  more 
numerous  and  the  country  less  inhospitable.  As  I 
have  said,  it  was  dry  when  I  arrived,  so  I  had  to 

171 


A  DOUBLE  RAINBOW 


send  back  to  a  rain-pool  I  had  passed  some  fifteen 
miles  to  the  south,  which  a  local  thunderstorm  had 
luckily  filled,  in  order  to  obtain  any  water  at  all.  It 
was  small  in  quantity  and  unpleasant  in  quality,  but 
we  were  glad  enough  to  get  any.  This  rendered  it 
imperative  that  we  should  leave  Jeldez  as  soon  as 
possible,  in  order  to  reach  a  more  plentiful  water- 
supply. 

Jeldez  itself  is  a  circular  depression,  about  300 
yards  in  diameter,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  very 
dense  bush,  and  on  the  north  also  by  some  large 
acacia  trees.  The  soil  is  sandy,  and  in  the  centre  a 
well  has  been  dug,  now  fallen  into  disuse,  about 
12  feet  deep.  The  floor  of  the  well  was  damp,  but 
though  I  dug  3  feet  deeper  no  water  could  be 
obtained.  In  spite  of  the  sandy  covering  the  ground 
below  was  extremely  hard,  so  hard  indeed  that  it  was 
impossible  to  drive  the  tent-pegs  in,  so  that  in  order 
to  pitch  my  tent  I  was  compelled  to  tie  the  guy-ropes 
to  the  water-tanks,  which  were  placed  in  line,  three 
on  each  side. 

On  the  day  after  my  arrival  there  was  a  heavy 
storm  in  the  north,  and  as  it  drew  to  a  close  there 
was  a  most  beautiful  double  rainbow,  so  vivid  in 
colouring  that  I  was  able  to  take  a  photograph  of  it. 
In  the  evening  the  men  I  had  sent  forward  returned, 
bringing  bad  news,  for  although  they  had  walked  for 
six  hours  along  the  trail  they  had  found  no  water. 
This  was  indeed  serious,  especially  as  it  was  too 
hot  to  march  during  the  day.  So  on  the  following 
morning  I  decided  to  send  back  five  camels  to  fill 
up  the  water-tanks  at  the  last  rain-pool,  since  it  was 
not  safe  to  proceed  without  a  maximum  supply  of 
water.    While  they  were  away,  I  was  busily  engaged 

172 


AN  ANNOYING  OCCURRENCE 


in  fixing  the  position  of  Jeldez  on  my  map,  and  in 
exploring  the  country  around.  Some  twenty-five 
miles  to  the  N.E.  there  is  a  large  and  semi-permanent 
water-hole  known  as  Tubtu,  but  otherwise  the  country 
is  arid  in  the  extreme  and  covered  for  the  most  part 
with  "  wait-a-bit "  thorn  and  similar  scrub.  According 
to  the  map  the  Lak  Dera  was  about  fifty  miles  away  to 
the  N.W.,  and  I  hoped  to  find  water  there,  as  during 
the  last  week  I  had  noticed  thunderstorms  almost 
every  evening  in  that  direction.  My  plan  was  to 
start  in  the  afternoon  from  Jeldez  and  march  all 
through  the  night,  and  longer  if  necessary,  unless  we 
reached  water  before. 

A  most  annoying  occurrence  prevented  me  from 
starting  on  the  following  day,  as  I  had  arranged. 
The  syce,  whom  I  had  sent  back  in  charge  of  the 
camels,  returned  without  water,  saying  that  the  little 
pool,  where  they  had  filled  up  on  the  previous  day, 
was  dry.  He  had  not  had  the  sense,  or  rather  he 
had  been  too  lazy,  to  go  on  and  search  further.  So 
I  was  compelled  to  send  them  back  again,  as  it  was 
essential  that  the  tanks  should  be  full  before  we 
started.  This  time  the  syces  went  in  charge  of  an 
askari,  and  I  forbade  them  to  come  back  without 
water,  even  if  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  march  all 
through  the  night. 

The  rest  of  the  day  passed  pleasantly  enough, 
although  I  did  not  leave  camp  ;  but  I  was  very  busy 
writing  up  my  notes,  and,  having  taken  a  whole  series 
of  observations,  I  worked  them  out,  including  some 
taken  at  Gulola  which  I  had  not  finished.  I  was 
very  much  gratified  with  the  results,  and  carefully 
locked  the  papers  away  in  my  box,  in  order  that  they 
might  be  checked  when  I  returned  to  civilisation. 

173 


THE  THERMOMETER 


Having  completed  this  work  I  inspected  the  trophies, 
both  horns  and  skins,  and  found  them  in  excellent 
condition.  All  this  took  up  the  larger  part  of  the 
day,  but  after  a  cup  of  tea  at  four  o'clock,  I  took  my 
pipe  and  a  book  of  Oscar  Wilde's  poems  and  went 
out  in  search  of  a  shady  bush.  Having  found  one  I 
lay  down  on  the  soft,  warm  sand,  and  read  and 
smoked  in  luxurious  comfort  until  dark.  It  was 
delightfully  refreshing  to  turn  one's  thoughts  to  some- 
thing so  essentially  different,  so  totally  unlike  and 
so  far  removed  from  the  life  which  I  had  been  leading, 
and  I  thoroughly  enjoyed  reading  "  Humanitad," 
"Panthea"  and  some  of  the  charming  short  poems 
over  again. 

The  heat  had  been  very  great,  and  all  through 
that  day  the  mercury  in  my  thermometer  stood  well 
over  ioo°,  and  in  the  early  afternoon  reached  its 
maximum  height  of  n6°.  I  should  not  like  to  say 
what  the  temperature  was  in  the  sun,  but  at  noon, 
when  I  went  out  to  take  an  observation  for  latitude, 
the  barrel  of  the  telescope  on  my  theodolite  was  so 
hot  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  touch  it.  Just 
before  nightfall  I  went  out  in  the  bush  and  shot  a 
couple  of  doves,  very  luckily  for  me,  since  I  had 
nothing  for  supper,  but  what  they  were  doing  so  far 
from  water  I  cannot  imagine. 

The  camels  returned  just  before  midnight  with  all 
the  tins  full.  The  following  morning  was  occupied 
in  getting  everything  in  order.  All  that  was  not 
absolutely  necessary  was  thrown  away,  ropes,  girths 
and  saddles  were  tested  and  overhauled,  while  the 
loads  were  carefully  tied  up  into  bundles  of  approxi- 
mately equal  weight.  During  my  stay  at  Jeldez  the 
camels  had  fed  well  and  seemed  rested  and  in  good 

174 


A  BAD  PATCH  OF  SCRUB 


form.  It  is  essential,  if  one  wishes  to  travel  far  with 
a  minimum  of  discomfort,  that  everything  should  be 
done  to  lighten  their  work,  and  now,  by  a  careful 
distribution  of  the  weights,  and  by  discarding  all 
but  essentials,  I  managed  to  reduce  their  loads  to 
something  under  250  lb.  each.  And  I  believe  it  was 
owing  to  this  careful  preparation,  and  consideration 
for  the  welfare  of  the  camels,  that  I  was  enabled  to 
accomplish  successfully  the  journey  between  Jeldez 
and  Lorian,  in  the  face  of  difficulties  and  dangers 
which  no  one  can  realise  unless  he  has  had  some 
experience  of  travelling  in  the  interior  of  Jubaland. 

We  left  Jeldez  shortly  after  three  o'clock,  in  spite 
of  the  terrific  heat,  marching  along  an  old  trail  which 
led  directly  towards  the  west.  Almost  immediately 
we  entered  the  worst  patch  of  scrub  it  had  yet  been 
my  misfortune  to  encounter.  Riding  was  out  of  the 
question,  so  I  walked,  and  shuddered  as  I  thought  of 
what  was  going  to  happen  to  the  loads  on  the  camels, 
for  the  scrub  consisted  almost  entirely  of  wait-a-bit, 
whose  small  crooked  thorns  cut  through  my  clothes 
like  knives,  and  I  foresaw  that  they  would  tear  the 
gunny  sack  coverings  of  the  loads  to  pieces.  As  the 
sun  sank  behind  heavy  storm-clouds,  we  reached  a 
rather  more  open  country,  the  two  hurricane  lamps 
were  lighted,  and  we  proceeded  at  a  good  pace.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  imagine  a  more  hopeless  and 
desolate  piece  of  country  than  that  through  which  I 
had  been  travelling  for  these  last  few  days  ;  the  soft, 
sandy  soil,  the  low,  leafless  scrub,  and  the  stunted, 
blackened  mimosa,  with  which  it  is  covered,  only  serve 
to  emphasise  the  aridity  of  the  country  and  represent 
another  kind  of  desert  common  in  East  Africa,  but 
having  but  little  charm  either  of  colour  or  of  outline. 

175 


A  CURIOUS  MARCH 


It  was  a  curious  march.  The  men  were  depressed, 
the  going  heavy,  and  the  night  air  hot  and  oppressive, 
so  that  we  were  all  perspiring  freely.  There  was 
hardly  a  sound  to  break  the  silence,  save  when  we 
brushed  past  some  bush,  or  when  a  frightened  bird 
rose  in  alarm  at  our  feet.  All  other  sounds  were 
muffled  by  the  soft  sand  through  which  we  walked 
and  which  rose  in  little  clouds  that  looked  like  mist  in 
the  lamplight  as  we  hurried  along.  Twice  we  passed 
what  I  imagine  to  have  been  small  plains  where  there 
had  been  surface  water ;  and  here  the  tracks  of 
elephants  were  very  numerous,  all  going  westward, 
which  seemed  to  show  that  they  travelled  from  Guran- 
lagga  to  the  Lorian  during  the  rains.  Hour  after 
hour  passed  by,  until  at  midnight  I  took  a  short  rest, 
drank  some  of  the  tea  in  my  water-bottle,  and  ate 
some  bread  which  I  had  brought  with  me.  The  chill 
I  had  caught  at  Gulola  had  not  yet  left  me,  and  the 
dull  pains  on  my  right  side  and  back  made  this  march 
particularly  trying. 

After  half  an  hour  thus  spent  I  marched  on  again, 
the  camels  having  by  now  caught  us  up.  On  and  on 
we  went,  and  I  think  I  must  have  been  dozing  on  my 
mule,  as  I  do  not  remember  much  more  until  a  sharp 
exclamation  from  my  headman  woke  me  with  a  start. 
Curious  sounds  were  coming  from  my  left.  What 
they  were,  at  first  I  could  not  make  out,  then  it 
dawned  upon  me.  Frogs !  And  therefore  water ! 
We  all  rushed  forward,  and  sure  enough  found  a  large 
pool  surrounded  by  trees.  Everybody  was  hugely 
delighted  ;  the  news  that  I  had  found  water  revived 
everybody,  and  spread  down  the  line  like  wildfire. 
Even  the  camels  seemed  to  be  imbued  with  the 
excitement  and  came  in  at  a  fine  pace,  their  syces 

176 


CAMEL  SICKNESS 


whistling  and  singing  in  a  most  cheerful  manner. 
Here  I  decided  to  camp  and,  when  light  broke,  to 
send  on  two  men  to  find  the  road  which  led  westwards 
towards  the  Lak  Dera.  We  had  marched  since 
leaving  Jeldez  for  ten  and  a  half  hours  and  had 
covered  twenty  miles,  which  was  not  bad  considering 
the  character  of  the  country  we  had  traversed.  My 
tent  was  soon  pitched  and  a  hot  bath  was  prepared 
for  me,  which  I  thoroughly  enjoyed  before  turning  in. 

The  camel  which  was  so  ill  at  Jeldez,  had  been 
gradually  growing  worse,  and  on  reaching  this  water- 
hole,  which  is  known  to  the  natives  by  the  name  of 
Robleh  ("containing  rain-water"),  he  lay  down  and 
refused  to  move,  although  he  had  carried  no  load 
during  the  night.  As  he  was  obviously  dying  and  in 
agony,  I  had  him  killed.  Shortly  afterwards  I  saw 
the  Somali  lining  up  before  my  tent,  and  on  asking 
what  they  wanted  they  asked  me  if  I  would  let  them 
eat  the  camel !  I  was  so  disgusted  at  first  that  I 
refused,  but  when  they  said  that  they  would  accept 
it  instead  of  four  days'  rations  (120  lb.  of  rice),  I 
could  say  no  more,  especially  as  I  had  lost  a  quarter 
of  a  load  of  rice  through  one  of  the  sacks  giving  way 
during  the  night.  They  immediately  set  about  cutting 
the  camel  up  and  smoking  the  flesh,  and  boiling  down 
the  fat  into  a  kind  of  lard,  which  they  use  in  their 
cooking  in  the  same  way  as  ghee.  An  absolute  orgy 
ensued  ;  the  men  stuffed  themselves  with  half-cooked 
meat,  gnawed  the  bones  till  they  were  clean,  and  then 
chopping  them  open,  sucked  the  marrow  out.  It  was 
a  most  revolting  sight,  but  I  had  no  choice  but  to  let 
it  go  on.  Only  the  Swahili  refused  to  touch  it,  which 
was  rather  a  surprise  after  the  filth  I  have  seen 
them  eat. 

m  177 


A  LEOPARD  AND  GIRAFFE 


I  spent  two  days  here  working  and  hunting,  but 
all  game  was  very  scarce,  and  I  saw  nothing  but  dik- 
dik.  Of  these  I  shot  two,  which  provided  me  with 
food  for  two  days.  While  hunting  them  I  came 
across  a  young  giraffe  only  a  few  days  old  that  had 
been  killed  by  a  leopard  a  few  minutes  before.  The 
tracks  and  marks  of  the  struggle  told  the  story  very 
plainly.  The  leopard  had  jumped  out  from  a  bush 
and  chased  the  giraffe  for  about  20  yards,  when, 
springing  forward,  it  had  caught  the  helpless  animal 
by  the  neck  and  choked  it  to  death.  It  had  then 
either  gone  off  to  call  its  family  to  join  in  the  meal, 
or  more  probably  had  heard  me  coming  and  made  its 
escape.  The  giraffe  proved  to  be  a  young  bull,  very 
pale  in  colour,  buff  rather  than  chocolate,  and  in  the 
centre  of  the  dark  patches  there  were  numerous  white 
hairs.  I  had  noticed  that  the  cows  are  always  lighter 
in  colour  than  the  bulls,  but  I  did  not  see  a  sufficient 
number  of  calves  to  be  able  to  say  whether  this  pale 
tint  is  usual,  and  characteristic  of  young  animals.  I 
had  it  carried  back  into  camp  and  skinned.  On 
examining  the  skull  I  found  that  the  two  horns  on 
the  forehead  were  just  noticeable,  but  otherwise  it 
presented  no  unusual  features  of  interest. 

My  headman,  who  was  born  in  Jubaland,  said 
that  he  thought  there  was  another  water-hole  called 
Liboyi  some  20  miles  to  the  westward,  and  it  was 
in  the  hope  of  finding  it  that  we  started  shortly 
after  midnight  on  the  third  day  after  my  arrival  at 
Robleh.  We  marched  along  a  very  dim  trail  by 
lamplight  in  silence,  for  we  were  all  beginning  to 
feel  the  effects  of  hard  work  and  bad  food.  But  as 
the  light  grew  I  noticed  that  we  had  entered  a  more 
open  bush  country,  and  a  little  later  we  found  a 

178 


GIRAFFES'  SPOOR 


good  trail  leading  almost  due  westward.  It  was 
obvious  that  rain  had  fallen  hereabouts,  and  the 
scene  was  most  attractive  ;  there  were  shady  trees, 
green  grass,  and  even  the  ubiquitous  thorn  bushes 
were  just  beginning  to  show  some  leaves.  Somehow 
the  scenery  gave  me  the  impression  of  early  spring, 
though  in  reality  it  was  midsummer  in  that  latitude. 
This  was  too  pleasant  to  continue,  and  I  was  not 
surprised  when  we  soon  entered  once  more  the 
endless  wait-a-bit  thorn-scrub. 

Throughout  this  country  giraffes  and  giraffes' 
spoor  are  to  be  seen  in  astonishing  numbers,  yet 
it  is  hard  for  those  who  have  not  experienced  it  to 
believe  how  difficult  they  are  to  see.  Their  liver- 
coloured  bodies  netted  with  white  seem  to  blend 
perfectly  with  the  bush  in  which  they  live.  This 
shows  how  easily  Nature  surpasses  any  efforts  of 
ours,  for  who  would  have  thought  that  so  con- 
spicuously marked  an  animal  would  be  almost  invisible 
under  certain  circumstances  ? 

As  we  trudged  on,  the  heat  grew  and  travelling 
became  most  tedious,  owing  to  the  thickness  of  the 
bush  and  the  soft  sand  under  foot.  So  that  it  was 
with  geniune  relief  that  we  saw  the  scrub  thinning 
out  into  a  little  plain  which  really  formed  a  plateau 
of  low  elevation,  although  it  was  scarcely  perceptible 
to  the  eye.  In  its  centre  was  the  typical  Jubaland 
rain-pool — that  is  to  say,  a  large  circular  depression 
filled  with  dense  jungle.  There  is  a  very  curious 
but  general  tradition  among  the  Somali,  that  these 
pools  were  made  by  the  prehistoric  inhabitants  of 
the  country.  The  only  foundation  for  this  belief 
is  the  curious  similarity  of  these  natural  reservoirs, 
and  the  strange  fact  that  they  are  often  situated  at 

179 


MURDER  OF  JENNER 


approximately  equal  distances  from  each  other  along 
a  trail,  but  it  would  have  been  an  impossible  work 
for  any  uncivilised  native  to  have  completed.  But 
to  continue.  We  were  much  disappointed  to  find 
Liboyi  stone-dry,  but  I  decided  to  take  our  midday 
rest  here,  and  proceed  again  in  the  afternoon.  This 
I  did,  and  while  waiting  for  lunch,  went  down  into 
the  swamp  and  took  some  photographs.  The  interior 
was  filled  with  dry  bush  and  dead  trees,  forming  a 
jungle  which  was  honeycombed  with  elephant  paths 
from  side  to  side.  It  was  here  that  the  late  Mr. 
A.  C.  W.  Jenner  was  murdered  in  1905.  He  was 
attempting  the  same  journey  as  I  was  now  carrying 
out,  and  his  object  was  to  explore  the  Lak  Dera 
and  the  Lorian.  He  passed  through  Afmadu  and 
followed  the  old  trail  that  leads  past  Tubtu  to 
Robleh  and  Liboyi.  He  camped  here  during  a 
thunderstorm,  and  unwisely  collected  the  rifles  of 
his  escort  and  placed  them  in  his  tent  in  order  to 
keep  them  from  the  wet.  A  party  of  Mohammed 
Zubheir  warriors,  who  had  been  following  him, 
attacked  him  suddenly  during  the  night  and  murdered 
him  together  with  his  followers,  of  whom  only  three 
escaped  in  the  bush  and  returned  to  tell  the  tale. 

I  was  therefore  not  sorry  to  leave  this  ill-omened 
place  the  same  afternoon.  At  first  I  followed  what 
seemed  to  be  a  well-marked  trail,  but,  after  going 
about  one  hour  due  west,  I  saw  it  was  used  only 
by  giraffes  and  elephants,  and  fearing  lest  I  should 
find  no  water  I  determined  to  march  due  north  ;  so 
leaving  the  trail  I  struck  out  through  the  bush  in  a 
direction  at  right  angles  to  that  from  which  we  had 
come.  I  felt  the  responsibility  of  taking  my  men 
thus  through  an  unknown  country,  especially  since 

180 


INTO  AN  UNKNOWN  LAND 


they  placed  in  me  a  complete  confidence  that  I  would 
bring  them  back  safely  to  their  homes  at  last. 

I  knew  nothing  of  what  lay  in  front  of  me  ;  the 
maps  I  had  of  this  part  of  the  country  were  mere 
blanks,  and  I  was  obliged  to  trust  only  to  the 
accuracy  of  my  last  latitude  observations  and  compass- 
bearings  to  enable  me  to  reach  the  river.  Some 
of  the  Swahili  porters  were  already  wavering  and 
talking  of  going  back,  so  I  had  to  be  firm,  and  in 
this  my  headman  and  my  interpreter,  Hassan,  helped 
me  immensely,  or  else  Juma  and  the  malcontents  for 
whom  he  spoke  might  have  won  over  to  their  side 
the  rest  of  my  men,  and  I  should  have  had  to  return. 
I  believe  some  kind  fate  was  looking  after  me,  for 
after  making  my  way  slowly  for  over  an  hour 
through  the  wait-a-bit  thorn,  I  found  a  game  trail, 
and  following  this,  came  upon  two  small  pools  of 
rain-water,  one  of  which  was  beautifully  clear  and 
sweet.  I  was  very  much  relieved,  and  so  were  my 
men  ;  they  pitched  camp  and  built  the  zariba  in  a 
very  short  time.  Meanwhile  I  had  gone  out  in 
search  of  food,  and  though  I  saw  no  big  game,  I 
luckily  shot  a  couple  of  doves  for  dinner.  Later  on, 
as  the  night  was  clear,  I  seized  the  opportunity  to 
take  a  series  of  observations  for  time  and  latitude, 
which  kept  me  up  till  nearly  eleven  o'clock. 


181 


CHAPTER  XVI 


THE  LAK  DERA 

As  the  first  streaks  of  light  were  showing  in  the  east 
I  climbed  on  to  my  mule,  and,  leading  the  way, 
marched  towards  the  N.N.W.    After  half  an  hour's 
march  we  crossed  some  alluvial  mud-flats  and  then 
reached  what  was  evidently  a  dry  river  bed  of  some 
importance.    It  was  filled  with  rank  grass  and  reeds 
and  was  quite  dry.    Its  general  course  was  towards 
the  north-east,  and  the  bottom  of  the  bed  was  some 
15  feet  below  the  level  of  the  surrounding  country. 
My  first  idea  was  that  it  was  the  Lak  Dera.  But 
I  was  mistaken,  as  I  found  later  in  the  day  that  it 
was  only  a  tributary.    I  took  some  photographs  here 
and  observations  for  altitude,  and  then  marched  on 
through  dense  acacia  scrub  up  a  slight  incline  till  I 
reached  a  kind  of  plateau.    There  was  a  quantity 
of  surface  water  everywhere,  so  filling  up  the  tanks 
I  proceeded  with  a  much  lighter  heart.    The  bush 
had  been  and  was  so  thick,  that  I  had  to  walk  all 
the  time,  riding  being  out  of  the  question.  The 
country  was  entirely  overgrown  with  a  low  jungle 
composed  of  camel  thorn  and  mimosa  scrub  in  full 
leaf.    There  was  no  trail  of  any  sort,  and  the  trees 
grew  in  such  close  proximity  one  to  another  that 
it  was  often  necessary  to  clear  the  way  for  the  camels, 
as  otherwise  the  loads  would  have  suffered  severely. 
I  soon  began  to  go  downhill  again,  and  at  eleven 

182 


LAK  DERA 


o'clock,  much  to  my  joy  and  surprise,  reached  another 
river  bed,  also  dry,  and  a  well-travelled  native  path 
leading  along  it  towards  the  north-west.  This,  I 
was  certain,  was  the  Lak  Dera ;  so  I  gave  orders 
for  the  camels  to  be  unloaded  and  went  on  to  in- 
vestigate. A  river  bed,  such  as  this,  has  just  the 
appearance  of  a  crooked  line  drawn  by  some  gigantic 
finger  in  the  sand,  only,  of  course,  on  a  gigantic  scale. 
Fill  this  with  dense  green  scrub,  and  you  have  the 
Lak  Dera  as  I  first  saw  it.  Some  two  hours  later 
I  started  again  under  a  blazing  sun  along  its  southern 
bank,  and  marched  for  half  an  hour  up  the  trail,  when 
to  our  mutual  surprise  I  saw  two  Somali  resting 
under  a  tree.  They  jumped  for  their  spears,  but  as 
soon  as  they  saw  we  were  friends  they  came  forward 
and  a  long  conversation  ensued.  They  told  me 
that  they  were  of  the  Aulehan  tribe,  and  were  in 
search  of  good  pasture  and  water.  This,  they  said, 
was  the  trail  which  led  along  the  Lak  Dera  to 
Lorian,  that  the  river  I  had  crossed  early  in  the  day 
was  the  Lak  Aboloni,  and  that  their  village  was 
about  four  hours  up  the  trail,  whither  they  volunteered 
to  escort  us.  So  off  we  went  again,  still  marching 
through  the  endless  green  scrub  over  a  country  that 
gradually  rose  as  we  advanced. 

From  time  to  time  I  got  a  more  open  view  of 
the  river  bed,  now  filled  with  reeds  and  tall  rank 
grass,  now  bare  and  scarred  by  innumerable  nullahs, 
and  the  hours  passed  like  magic  until  at  length  we 
reached  their  little  village,  which  lay  beside  two  large 
pools  to  the  north  of  the  river  ;  but  the  camels  did 
not  arrive  until  two  hours  later.  The  inhabitants 
were  not  very  obliging,  refusing  to  provide  guides 
for  our  next  march,  and  though  they  possessed  a 

183 


VILLAGE  OF  SHIMBIRLEH 


large  herd  of  cattle,  they  brought  in  nothing  except 
a  little  milk.  I  noticed  that  the  married  women  wore 
a  vivid  crimson  head-dress  instead  of  the  usual  black 
cloth,  but  I  do  not  think  that  this  custom  is  confined 
to  the  Aulehan.  The  country  from  here  to  the 
Lorian  is  unknown,  except  to  a  few  native  hunters, 
but  the  western  extremity  has  been  the  scene  of 
many  a  bloodthirsty  conflict  between  the  Mohammed 
Zubheir  and  the  Abd  Wak,  two  of  the  most  truculent 
and  least  civilised  sub-tribes  of  the  whole  of  the 
Ogaden.  It  was  therefore  a  heavy  responsibility 
to  take  my  men  forward  into  this  unexplored,  water- 
less and  dangerous  region. 

Early  the  following  morning  I  left  the  village, 
which  is  known,  by  the  way,  as  Tur  Guda  (which 
means  "a  clump  of  Guda1  thorn  trees"),  and 
marched  along  an  excellent  trail,  until  some  eleven 
miles  to  the  westward  I  came  to  the  little  village 
of  Shimbirleh,  where  there  was  a  large  rainpool,  a 
hundred  yards  broad  by  two  hundred  long.  The 
country  between  these  two  villages  is  fairly  open,  and 
contains  many  shallow  sandy  depressions  to  the  north 
of  the  river.  There  were  many  guinea-fowl  in  the 
bush,  of  which  I  shot  two,  and  I  also  obtained  a 
young  dik-dik,  which  were  a  valuable  contribution  to 
my  larder.  As  I  knew  nothing  of  what  lay  before 
me,  I  let  the  men  cook  their  food  here,  and  then, 
filling  up  the  ten  water-cans,  I  started  off  westwards. 

Before  leaving  Shimbirleh,  I  had  offered  the 
fabulous  sum  of  Rs.50  for  a  guide,  but  nothing  would 
induce  the  headman  of  the  village  to  provide  one. 
He  told  me,  however,  that  I  should  cross  the  river 
and  follow  its  southern  bank  until  I  reached  two 

1  Guda  (or  Guhra)  is  the  Acacia  Isyol.  Del. 
184 


DENSE  BUSH 


large  pools  near  some  low  hills,  and  should  then  follow 
an  old  trail  which  led  onwards  to  the  Lorian.  With 
this  meagre  information  I  had  to  be  content.  The 
bush  soon  became  exceedingly  dense,  once  more 
keeping  out  every  breath  of  air  and  rendering  the 
atmosphere  terribly  oppressive.  We  crossed  the 
river,  which  was  here  shallow  and  much  overgrown, 
and  then  made  our  way  at  a  good  pace  along  the 
right  bank,  as  I  had  been  directed.  I  was  exceedingly 
grateful  when  the  sun  gradually  sank  lower ;  at  the 
same  time  the  bush  opened  out  a  little,  trees  grew 
more  plentiful,  and  at  sunset  I  had  a  glimpse  of  the 
river  bed  again — white  sand  this  time,  and  much 
deeper  than  I  had  previously  seen  it.  The  trail 
which  had  been  growing  more  and  more  indistinct 
now  gave  out  altogether,  but  I  had  the  river  to  guide 
me,  so  I  kept  on,  though  the  pace  was  now  reduced 
to  a  crawl,  for  the  country  was  very  rough,  full  of 
holes  and  little  steep  valleys  and  nullahs.  Except 
for  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  it  was  quite 
pleasant,  the  temperature-  being  about  86°.  A 
glorious  moon  was  shining  in  a  clear  sky,  and  its 
beautiful  soft  light  transformed  a  desolate  and  arid 
scene  into  one  of  beauty  and  of  peace.  My  orderly 
walked  in  front  carrying  a  lantern,  and  I  followed 
him,  my  mind  full  of  speculations  as  to  what  lay 
before  me,  and  of  pleasure  because  I  was  the  first 
white  man  to  penetrate  this  wilderness. 

The  hours  passed  quickly,  but  towards  eleven 
o'clock  I  decided  to  camp  in  a  small  open  space,  as 
my  camels  were  very  tired.  My  bed  was  got  out,  and 
after  a  cup  of  tea  I  lay  down,  and  it  seemed  to  me 
that  I  had  hardly  gone  to  sleep  before  I  was  awakened 
once  more.     After  a  hurried  breakfast  of  minced 

185 


ARID  COUNTRY 

guinea-fowl,  I  started  off  once  more  shortly  before 
3  a.m.  We  were  all  somewhat  tired  and  stiff,  and 
it  seemed  ages  before  the  first  signs  of  dawn  were 
apparent  in  the  east ;  but  soon  after  the  sun  rose — a 
disc  of  deepest  red  seen  through  the  heavy  pall  of 
mist  that  hung  low  over  the  bush.  The  dry  river  bed 
was  on  my  right,  and  on  each  side  of  it  the  ground 
rose  slightly,  forming  a  kind  of  valley,  while  ahead 
I  could  see  a  low  line  of  rounded  hills  just  visible 
above  the  jungle  through  which  I  was  threading  my 
way.  Dense  thorn  covered  the  land  in  all  directions, 
forming  a  vast  sea  of  verdure,  but  in  spite  of  this  the 
general  aspect  of  the  country  was  arid  and  inhospitable 
beyond  words.  These  endless  stretches  of  thorn-scrub 
are  very  depressing,  and  the  brilliant  sun,  which  had 
already  dispersed  the  morning  mist,  failed  to  dispel 
the  gloomy  impression  the  scene  had  left  on  me. 

I  continued  marching  steadily,  keeping  close  to  the 
river  bank,  and  shortly  before  eight  o'clock  reached 
the  low  hills  I  had  seen  in  front  of  me  at  daybreak. 
Here  the  river  takes  a  bend  to  the  north,  and  as  the 
trail  had  by  now  quite  disappeared,  I  decided  to  go 
straight  on  to  the  north-west,  since  it  was  most  im- 
portant that  we  should  reach  the  swamp  as  early  as 
possible,  both  on  account  of  water  and  of  food.  So  I 
skirted  the  spur  of  the  hills,  where  I  found  traces  of 
an  old  Somali  boma,  leaving  the  river  on  my  right- 
hand  side.  Close  at  hand  were  two  large  pools,  then 
quite  empty,  and  surrounded  as  usual  by  dense  woods  ; 
round  one  of  them  was  a  thorn  hedge  about  2  feet 
high  with  only  one  small  opening  where  an  old 
elephant  trail  led  down  to  the  pool.  Not  many  yards 
away  was  a  small  shelter  built  in  the  bush.  This  was 
probably  the  work  of  some  Somali  hunters  who  had 

186 


SMALL  ANNOYANCES 


lain  in  wait  for  their  prey,  and  on  several  other  occa- 
sions I  have  seen  similar  bush  shelters  built  on  river 
banks  or  near  some  favourite  water-hole. 

On  leaving  this  place,  known,  as  I  discovered 
later,  by  the  name  of  Sereda,  I  again  entered  a  most 
appalling  stretch  of  bush,  through  which  we  had  to 
hack  our  way  with  axes  and  slashers.  It  was  terribly 
trying  work,  and  we  were  all  truly  glad  a  couple  of 
hours  later  when  the  scrub  got  thinner  and  progress 
became  easier.  Just  before  eleven  we  entered  a  small 
plain  with  a  dry  water-hole  in  the  centre,  and  I  decided 
to  rest  here. 

All  around  the  thorn  bush  had  given  place  to  low 
stunted  trees  packed  close  together,  leafless  and 
blackened  as  though  they  had  been  burned.  The 
heat  was  terrific,  and  in  the  sun  one  felt  as  though  one 
were  standing  close  to  some  huge  bonfire.  Two  of 
my  men  suddenly  collapsed  from  the  heat,  one  of 
whom  was  a  Somali.  He  became  delirious  and  had 
to  be  tied  down,  but  he  recovered  in  the  evening. 
After  I  had  eaten  a  little  lunch,  I  tried  to  sleep,  but 
a  multitude  of  ants  and  small  flies  kept  me  awake,  and 
the  time  dragged  heavily  on,  until  at  two  o'clock  I 
gave  the  signal  to  begin  loading.  Very  wearily 
the  caravan  started  once  more,  shortly  after  3  p.m. 
Four  of  the  water-tanks  were  now  empty,  so  the  sick 
men  were  tied  on  to  the  lightly  loaded  camels,  but  I 
could  not  help  feeling  sorry  for  them  as  I  walked  out 
once  more  into  that  blinding  sun.  I  marched  on 
steadily  through  fairly  open  bush  ;  no  water  was  to  be 
found,  and  the  country  seemed  very  parched  and 
barren.  Words  fail  me  to  describe  the  utter  dreariness 
of  that  desert  scene. 

Just  before  sunset,  however,  I  had  a  great  slice  of 

187 


A  SLICE  OF  LUCK 

luck.  I  had  noticed  a  good  many  doves  flying  over- 
head in  the  same  direction  as  we  were  going,  and  now 
I  saw  several  sitting  on  a  bush  a  few  hundred  yards  to 
the  right.  Leaving  my  men  and  my  mule  I  walked 
in  their  direction,  full  of  excitement,  and  sure  enough 
I  found  a  small  pool  of  very  muddy  water,  perhaps 
3  yards  broad,  hidden  under  some  bushes.  I  was 
immensely  thankful,  and  my  men  delighted  beyond 
words  at  this  unexpected  find.  Having  put  my  orderly 
on  guard,  I  sat  down  to  wait  for  my  caravan  to  arrive. 
Presently  the  sun  turned  blood-red  as  it  neared  the 
horizon,  and  then  soon  sank  from  view  behind  the 
stunted  thorn  trees  that  stretched  away  interminably 
towards  the  west,  whilst  almost  simultaneously  the 
full  moon  rose  in  the  east,  a  deep  copper-coloured 
disc.  I  lay  back  luxuriously  in  the  sand  and  dozed 
for  a  time  until  I  heard  in  the  distance  the  faint  sound 
of  bells  and  the  snapping  of  branches  as  the  camels 
made  their  way  through  the  bush.  The  men  began 
calling  and  whistling,  and  presently  I  saw  the  long 
line  of  camels,  looking  very  strange  now  in  the  moon- 
light with  their  huge  loads  swaying  and  creaking  as 
they  walked,  led  by  their  native  syces.  The  news 
that  there  was  water  immediately  revived  everyone, 
and  they  sang  and  joked  as  they  unloaded  the  camels. 
I  served  out  dates,  instead  of  rice,  for  their  evening 
meal,  and  these  were  soon  eaten.  Within  an  hour, 
silence  reigned  once  more,  and  I  turned  in  after  a 
good  look  round  to  see  that  all  was  well. 

Much  refreshed,  I  woke  next  morning  at  2.30  and 
we  were  soon  off.  The  bush  was  again  appallingly 
dense  and  our  progress  slow.  When  the  sun  rose  it 
revealed  the  same  apparently  limitless  expanse  of  low 
wait-a-bit  thorn  ;  there  is  but  little  charm  in  the  dull 

188 


0)  O  u 


INCORRECT  INFORMATION 


monotony  of  these  silent  sun-scorched  wastes,  where 
the  view  is  perpetually  bounded  by  the  jungle.  A 
little  later  on  a  troop  of  eight  giraffes  crossed  my 
path  some  300  yards  ahead,  stood  for  a  moment 
gazing  at  me,  and  then  went  on,  first  one,  then  another, 
breaking  into  their  curious  heavy  gallop,  their  long 
black  tails  screwed  up  over  their  backs. 

About  nine  I  suddenly  came  upon  the  river  again, 
which  had  at  this  place  cut  a  deep  channel  for  itself 
in  the  soft  sand,  but  it  was  still  quite  dry,  its  general 
direction  being  from  S.W.  to  N.E.  After  crossing  it 
I  marched  on  a  compass-bearing  of  320°.  According 
to  the  latest  map  this  would  lead  me  by  the  shortest 
route  to  the  Lorian,  which  I  then  thought  was  not 
very  far  ahead.  This  was  all  the  information  I  had 
to  guide  me,  and,  as  it  proved,  it  was  quite  incorrect, 
but  I  am  glad  I  did  not  know  it  then.  Two  miles 
farther  on  I  came  upon  two  large  water-holes  which 
were  also  quite  dry  ;  nearly  due  north  of  them  was  a 
solitary  low  hill  covered  with  bush.  I  determined  to 
climb  this,  and  on  reaching  the  summit  obtained  a 
fairly  extensive  view  over  the  surrounding  country 
from  the  top  of  a  tree.  An  unbroken  expanse  of 
thorn-scrub  met  my  eye  in  every  direction.  No  single 
landmark  of  any  description  broke  the  monotony  of 
that  absolutely  level  stretch  of  desert  jungle  which 
hid  even  the  course  of  the  Lak  Dera  from  view. 
The  harsh  call  of  some  guinea-fowl  only  served  to 
intensify  the  silence  that  reigned  over  the  bush.  As 
I  was  making  my  way  down  the  hill  to  the  place 
where  I  left  my  mule,  I  shot  one  of  these  birds,  at 
which  I  was  very  pleased,  for  I  had  practically  no 
food  left  of  any  kind  except  rice  and  tea.  A  few 
yards  farther,  much  to  my  astonishment,  I  suddenly 

189 


SUNSTROKE  AND  DYSENTERY 


came  upon  fresh  cattle  spoor,  which  could  only  mean 
that  there  was  water  ahead  and  that  I  was  going  in 
the  right  direction  ;  so  taking  up  the  trail  I  marched 
on  with  renewed  hope,  wondering  who  owned  the 
cattle  and  whether  they  would  prove  friends  or  foes. 

The  heat  had  been  gradually  increasing  and  was 
now  so  terrific  that  I  called  a  halt  just  before  noon. 
Unfortunately  the  thorn  bush  afforded  no  shade,  and 
so  exhausted  were  the  men  that  it  was  with  difficulty 
I  persuaded  them  to  light  fires  and  cook  their  food. 
I  had  at  that  time  two  men  down  with  dysentery, 
two  with  fever  and  one  with  sunstroke  (the  porter 
who  collapsed  the  day  before).  The  latter  was  in 
a  pitiable  condition,  moaning  and  sobbing  con- 
tinuously ;  he  revived  somewhat  after  I  had  thrown 
a  little  of  the  precious  water  over  him,  and  an 
injection  of  morphine  seemed  to  ease  the  pain. 
Natives  have  very  little  pluck  when  they  are  ill,  and 
very  quickly  give  in,  which  makes  it  very  hard  to 
cure  them. 

At  three  we  were  on  our  way  again,  still  following 
the  cattle  tracks  which  led  steadily  through  the  bush 
towards  the  north-west.  My  thermometer  at  noon 
showed  1 1 40  in  the  shade,  but  even  that  does  not 
convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  dreadful  heat ;  no 
breath  of  wind  stirred  the  leafless  branches  of  the 
bush,  and  the  dust  caused  by  our  passage  hung  sus- 
pended in  the  air  like  some  thin  copper-coloured 
mist.  I  was  feeling  far  from  well  myself,  having 
another  slight  attack  of  dysentery,  brought  on  prob- 
ably by  heat  and  fatigue,  and  I  do  not  suppose  I 
shall  ever  forget  the  weary  hours  that  followed. 
Towards  sunset  the  bush  opened  out ;  we  were 
gradually  ascending,  and  on  reaching  the  top  of  a 

190 


A  HARD  TIME 


low  shallow  valley  we  emerged  on  to  a  level  plain 
covered  with  scattered  scrub.  For  three  hours  more 
I  marched  on  in  the  moonlight  and  then  camped. 
My  bed  was  soon  made,  and  I  went  to  bed  too  tired 
to  eat.  The  cooler  night  air  soon  sent  me  to  sleep  ; 
but  at  2.30  I  arose  once  more  and  started  off  shortly 
after  3,  confident  that  I  was  now  approaching  Lorian. 
Dawn  showed  me  a  perfectly  level  plain  devoid  of 
all  grass,  but  dotted  here  and  there  with  thorn  trees. 
In  the  distance  a  low  green  line  showed  where  the 
bush  began  again.  Suddenly,  however,  I  saw  some 
cattle,  and  then  right  in  front  of  me  a  large  rain-pool 
round  which  were  gathered  the  rest  of  the  herd, 
guarded  by  some  forty  Somali. 

Since  leaving  Jeldez  it  had  been  indeed  a  hard 
time.  We  had  marched  continuously,  resting  only 
occasionally  on  the  way,  often  without  taking  the 
trouble  to  pitch  the  tents.  During  the  latter  part 
of  the  journey,  out  of  the  twenty-four  hours,  sixteen 
were  spent  actually  marching,  with  two  halts  each 
day  from  11  a.m.  to  3  p.m.  and  from  11  p.m.  to 
3  a.m.  During  that  time  our  rate  of  marching 
scarcely  ever  exceeded  a  mile  and  a  half  per  hour  ; 
for  many  hours  were  spent  searching  for  a  way, 
cutting  a  passage  for  the  camels,  rearranging  their 
loads  and  attending  to  those  who  gave  in  on  the 
march.  Of  the  twenty-four  men  with  me,  one  of 
the  best  and  strongest  of  my  porters  was  very 
seriously  ill,  and  five  others  came  in  tied  to  the  backs 
of  camels. 


191 


CHAPTER  XVII 

FROM  HARYEL  TO  THE  LORIAN  SWAMP 

These  Somali  proved  to  be  from  the  Maghabul  tribe  : 
they  were  astonished  at  seeing  a  white  man,  and  not 
without  reason,  for  none  had  passed  that  way  before. 
But  as  soon  as  they  had  recovered  from  their  first 
feelings  of  surprise,  they  warmly  greeted  me,  and  on 
learning  that  I  was  bound  for  the  Lorian,  they  asked 
me  to  camp,  in  order  that  they  might  provide  me  with 
guides.  They  were  travelling  in  the  same  direction, 
and  several  of  their  party  had  gone  on  ahead  to  find 
the  best  and  quickest  way,  but  they  were  shortly 
expected  back,  and  the  headman  told  me  he  would  be 
glad  to  send  one  with  me.  I  was  only  too  glad  to 
camp  by  the  big  pool,  and  rest  both  my  men  and  my 
camels,  so  I  readily  fell  in  with  his  suggestion.  It 
was  not  long  before  my  tent  was  up ;  soon  I  was 
enjoying  the  luxury  of  a  hot  bath,  after  which  I  lay 
down  for  a  quiet  and  pleasant  sleep.  From  this  I 
was  awakened  by  the  sound  of  many  voices  outside, 
so  I  got  up  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  I  found  the 
headman  of  the  cattle  safari,  with  all  his  followers, 
waiting  to  speak  to  me.  So  I  dressed,  and,  sitting 
down  in  front  of  my  tent,  I  called  them  up.  The 
headman  then  presented  me  with  a  nice  fat  calf,  for 
which  I  was  indeed  most  grateful,  as  I  was  very 
hungry  and  it  would  provide  me  with  the  best  meal 
I  had  had  for  some  time.    He  then  went  on  to  make 

192 


AN  INTERESTING  OLD  MAN 


a  long  and  eloquent  speech.  He  referred  to  his 
feelings,  when  he  first  saw  me  that  morning,  in  terms 
of  true  Oriental  exaggeration.  "We  felt,"  he  said, 
"  like  little  children  who  with  wondering  gladness 
behold  the  return  home  of  their  long-lost  father,  and 
shame  fell  upon  us  that  we  had  nothing  to  offer  him 
worthy  of  his  acceptance.  We  have  brought  you 
this  calf,  and  if  it  find  favour  in  your  sight,  we  shall 
be  more  than  glad,  more  than  recompensed." 

He  proceeded  to  say  that  they  were  intending  to 
march  to  Nairobi,  where  they  expected  to  sell  their 
cattle,  but  as  they  had  never  been  there  before,  he 
hoped  I  would  give  them  letters  to  help  them.  I 
thanked  him  as  well  as  I  could,  through  the  inter- 
preter, and  gave  orders  for  "  buni  "  to  be  prepared  and 
served  to  them.  This  was  a  lengthy  proceeding,  as 
there  were  some  thirty  Somali  present,  but  in  the  mean- 
time I  had  a  long  conversation  with  their  leader,  who 
proved  to  be  a  delightful  old  man,  as  interesting  as 
he  was  friendly.  He  made  me  realise  most  vividly 
the  hardships  and  discomforts  of  travelling  with 
cattle ;  his  simple  narrative  of  their  march  from 
Gulola,  by  a  more  northerly  route  than  I  had  taken, 
abounded  in  quaint  phrases  and  picturesque  similes, 
and  many  of  the  essential  features  of  their  journey 
recalled  to  my  mind  the  days  when  I  had  herded 
cattle  on  the  Arizona  plains. 

Most  of  his  followers  were  quite  young  men ; 
the  majority  had  never  seen  a  town  before,  and  some 
had  not  previously  met  a  European.  It  was  amusing 
to  watch  them  examining  my  things  and  peering  into 
my  tent,  but  their  curiosity  had  no  trace  of  vulgarity 
in  it,  and  their  interest  was  wholly  genuine.  Although 
the  greater  number  of  these  young  warriors  wore  the 
n  193 


A  VARIETY  OF  COSTUMES 

usual  white  "tobe,"  a  few  had  departed  far  from  the 
conventional  dress  worn  by  the  Somali  on  trek.  I 
noticed  that  some  had  draped  themselves  with  two 
"  half-lengths "  of  coloured  cloth,  as  striking  as  any- 
Scotch  tartan,  while  one  young  "  blood  "  wore  above 
his  white  loin-cloth  a  lady's  brown  jacket,  made  in 
the  days  when  "leg  of  mutton  "  sleeves  were  fashion- 
able !  How  he  had  ever  got  hold  of  it,  and  how  he 
had  managed  to  keep  it  in  such  excellent  condition, 
in  spite  of  the  bush  through  which  he  had  travelled, 
will  always  remain  a  mystery.  As  is  the  custom  in 
the  interior  of  Jubaland,  all  wore  their  hair  long, 
well  oiled  and  fluffed  out,  and  in  it  many  carried 
combs,  shaped  like  a  long  wooden  skewer.  The 
habit  of  bleaching  the  hair  is  not  regarded  with  much 
favour  by  these  tribes  of  the  Ogaden,  though  it  is 
very  general  in  northern  Somaliland  :  nor  will  they 
shave  their  heads,  as  many  of  the  Herti  do  on  the 
coast,  or  the  more  civilised  Somali  in  Nairobi  or 
Kismayu.  They  were  all  fully  armed,  however,  with 
spear,  shield  and  knife  :  some  carried  in  addition  the 
curious  hatchet  (gudimo)  of  native  manufacture,  and 
the  forked  and  hooked  stick,  both  of  which  are  used 
for  making  or  pulling  apart  the  zariba. 

When  they  had  finished  their  "  buni,"  but  while  I 
was  still  talking  to  them,  one  of  the  syces,  who  was 
on  guard  while  the  camels  fed,  came  running  in  and 
reported  that  he  had  been  accosted  by  four  armed 
Somali,  who  asked  who  I  was,  how  many  rifles  I 
had,  and  how  many  askaris.  On  hearing  his 
answer  they  left  him  and  disappeared  in  the  bush. 
Thinking  their  behaviour  very  suspicious,  he  had 
told  the  other  syce  to  drive  in  the  camels,  and  had 
run  on  ahead  himself  to  report.     Before  he  had 

194 


SUSPICIOUS  BEHAVIOUR 


finished  speaking,  my  headman  pointed  to  a  couple  of 
Somali,  who  could  just  be  seen  at  the  edge  of  the 
bush,  watching  us.  He  called  to  them  to  come  into 
camp,  instead  of  doing  which  they  immediately  ran 
away.  These  strange  Somali  skulking  in  the  bush, 
their  suspicious  behaviour  and  the  drift  of  their 
questions  to  the  syce,  seemed  to  indicate  the  prob- 
ability of  an  attack,  and  my  position  would  have 
been  very  ugly  had  I  not  fortunately  met  the  friendly 
Maghabul  Somali  that  morning.  Even  so,  it  was  highly 
unpleasant,  situated  as  I  was  in  a  small  clearing  sur- 
rounded by  bush  which  afforded  ample  cover  for  the 
enemy,  and  which  would  prevent  effective  rifle  fire 
until  they  were  so  close  that  they  could  rush  us. 

My  own  men  were  very  nervous  and  were  ex- 
hausted by  the  hard  work  of  the  last  few  days,  but 
the  chief  of  the  friendlies  offered  to  send  out  a  small 
scouting-party  of  his  men  to  reconnoitre,  an  offer 
which  I  accepted.  For  the  next  few  hours  my  men 
worked  feverishly  to  make  our  position  as  strong  as 
possible.  I  had  a  small  but  very  strong  zariba 
erected  in  the  shape  of  a  hollow  square.  At  one 
corner  I  posted  two  askaris,  three  syces  and  my  gun- 
bearer,  and  at  the  opposite  corner  the  other  two 
askaris,  three  more  syces  and  my  headman.  The 
loads  formed  another  smaller  square  in  the  centre, 
and  the  spare  ammunition  was  spread  out  in  charge 
of  Campi  Mbaya,  the  skinner ;  the  camels  were 
made  to  lie  down,  and  were  securely  tied  by  a  rope 
running  from  knee  to  knee  over  their  necks,  a  method 
which  would  absolutely  prevent  them  from  getting 
up  and  stampeding  should  they  become  alarmed. 
The  cattle  were  led  down  to  the  edge  of  the  pool  and 
a  zariba  erected  round  them.    Half  the  friendly  Somali 

195 


A  TRYING  WAIT 


kept  guard  over  them,  and  the  rest  came  in  to  help  me. 
Thorn  branches  were  cut  down  and  spread  freely  over 
the  open  ground  between  the  zariba  and  the  bush  in 
order  to  check  the  anticipated  attack. 

When  all  was  completed,  a  long  and  trying  wait 
ensued.  The  sun  beat  down  mercilessly  upon  the 
camp  ;  there  was  no  sign  of  life  or  movement,  save 
when  some  little  cloud  of  dust  stirred  in  a  sudden  gust 
of  wind,  which  died  away  almost  before  it  could  be 
felt,  or  when  a  vulture  sailed  overhead  in  slow  and 
solemn  flight.  An  oppressive  silence  brooded  over 
the  bush — there  was  no  sound  to  betray  the  presence 
of  the  enemy  or  to  herald  the  return  of  the  scouts. 
At  length  a  little  group  of  men  came  into  sight :  they 
were  the  young  Maghabul,  and  they  brought  with 
them  two  prisoners,  both  of  the  Aulehan  tribe,  fully 
armed  with  rifles  and  plenty  of  ammunition,  in  addi- 
tion to  their  customary  equipment.  The  rifles  had 
been  taken  from  them,  and  they  were  brought  up  to 
me  unarmed.  I  questioned  them  at  length  with  regard 
to  their  suspicious  behaviour,  but  their  answers  were  un- 
satisfactory. They  said  that  they  were  merely  travel- 
ling through  the  country  to  see  if  there  was  water  and 
pasture,  that  there  were  nine  of  them,  all  armed,  and 
that  they  had  run  away  because  they  thought  I  was 
the  District  Commissioner  from  Moyale  and  would  take 
away  their  rifles.  They  denied  that  they  had  spoken 
to  my  syce,  although  they  were  confronted  with  him, 
but  acknowledged  that  they  had  followed  our  trail  for 
the  last  two  days.  As  I  had  been  travelling  very 
hard  myself  I  suppose  they  had  started  too  late  to  catch 
me  up  before  1  had  overtaken  the  friendly  Maghabul. 

As  it  was  now  growing  dark  I  determined  to  hold 
them  prisoners  until  next  day,  when  I  would  release 

196 


PRISONERS 


them  at  the  same  time  as  I  moved  westwards  towards 
the  Lorian.  Of  course  I  did  not  know  whether  they 
had  spoken  the  truth  as  regards  their  number,  so  I 
took  every  precaution  that  night  to  guard  against  an 
attack.  All  the  cooking  was  done  before  seven.  At 
eight  o'clock  the  fires  were  put  out  and  the  sentries 
doubled.  I  then  went  ostensibly  into  my  tent,  as 
though  to  go  to  bed,  but  after  a  short  interval  I  turned 
down  the  light  of  the  hurricane  lamp  very  low,  and 
then  crept  out  and  lay  down  fully  dressed  in  the  centre 
of  the  boma,  near  the  load,  with  my  rifle  beside  me.  For 
I  knew  that  should  we  be  attacked,  their  first  object 
would  be  to  reach  the  tent.  It  was  a  beautiful  starlit 
night,  and  I  regretted  that  I  could  not  take  a  latitude 
observation  to  confirm  those  I  had  taken  at  midday. 

Anxious  though  I  felt,  I  was  too  tired  not  to  sleep  : 
the  hours  of  darkness  passed  without  incident,  and  it 
was  only  when  the  chilly  breeze  that  precedes  dawn 
was  ruffling  the  smooth  surface  of  the  pool  that  I 
awoke  and  rose  to  stretch  my  cramped  limbs.  I 
could  see  the  men  beginning  to  move  about — shadowy 
figures  in  the  dim  grey  light,  wrapped  up  to  the  eyes 
in  their  white  tobes  ;  fires  sprang  up,  around  which 
gathered  little  groups,  my  breakfast  was  cooked,  and 
as  I  ate  it,  down  came  the  tent,  and  the  loads  were 
sorted  and  tied  up.  Just  as  the  sun  rose  we  all 
started  ;  I  let  the  two  young  Aulehan  go,  and  they 
returned  eastwards  through  the  bush  in  the  direction 
of  their  village,  a  suspicious  circumstance  if  they  had 
really  come  to  see  the  country.  My  opinion  is  that  a 
party  of  young  warriors  had  crossed  and  then  followed 
our  trail,  in  the  hope  perhaps  of  being  able  to  catch  us 
unawares  and  obtain  either  my  rifles  or  camels  or 
both  ;  but  having  been  discovered,  and  seeing  that  I 

197 


WAIT-A-BIT  THORN 


was  on  my  guard,  they  gave  up  the  idea,  not  being 
sufficiently  strong  to  carry  it  out. 

I  had  arranged  with  the  headman  of  the  Maghabul 
that  we  should  march  independently  of  each  other,  as 
they  had  to  allow  the  cattle  to  graze,  which  would 
have  kept  me  back.  But  he  provided  me  with  two 
men,  who  thought  they  knew  the  way.  Although  we 
were  likely  to  meet  again  at  the  Lorian  Swamp,  I 
gave  him  before  I  left  a  handsome  gift  of  cloth,  silk, 
"buni,"  tobacco  and  perfume,  to  show  my  appreciation 
of  his  behaviour  on  the  previous  day,  and  he  seemed 
delighted  with  the  present. 

It  was  not  long  before  Haryel  Plains  were  left,  for 
after  passing  through  several  thin  belts  of  bush,  we 
entered  once  more  the  familiar  wait-a-bit  thorn-scrub. 
Our  progress  became  more  and  more  slow,  and  it  was 
soon  obvious  that  my  two  guides  had  lost  their  way,  and 
it  became  a  typical  case  of  the  blind  leading  the  blind. 
They  had  a  vague  notion  of  where  the  Lorian  lay,  and 
so  had  I,  so  we  crept  on  slowly  but  patiently  towards 
the  west.  Six  hours  passed  thus,  and  then  I  decided 
to  let  the  camels  have  their  midday  rest  here,  while 
some  of  my  men  went  on  in  different  directions  in 
search  of  a  trail.  The  thorn-scrub  here  was  covered 
with  leaves ;  the  camels  seemed  to  appreciate  this 
unusual  state  of  things,  and  fed  with  avidity  on  the 
young  and  tender  shoots  in  spite  of  the  hot  sun. 
They  would  roll  their  long  and  horrid-looking  tongues 
round  the  thick  end  of  a  small  branch,  and  then,  with  a 
single  steady  pull,  would  strip  it  clean — after  which 
they  would  chew  contentedly  for  some  time  before 
repeating  the  performance.  The  thorns  did  not  seem 
to  worry  them  at  all,  and  not  one  of  them  showed 
signs  of  having  been  scratched. 

198 


A  PLATEAU 


While  I  was  eating  my  own  lunch,  and  watching 
them  at  the  same  time,  one  of  the  sentries  who  was 
on  guard  came  up  and  reported  that  one  of  the  guides 
had  returned,  having  found  the  faint  trail  he  was 
looking  for.  By  two  o'clock  the  others  had  also 
arrived,  so  we  were  able  to  proceed  not  long  after. 
The  morning  had,  however,  been  wasted,  so  it  was 
improbable  that  we  should  reach  the  Lorian  Swamp 
that  night.  As  soon  as  we  came  to  the  long-disused 
track  which  we  were  to  follow,  we  were  able  to  mend 
our  pace.  The  ground  rose  steadily  as  we  advanced, 
and  at  length  we  reached  a  plateau  only  thinly  covered 
with  bush.  We  were  now  some  800  feet  above  sea- 
level,  and,  on  looking  back,  Haryel  Plains  could  just 
be  seen  through  the  thick  heat  haze  that  hung  low 
over  the  land.  It  was  barely  visible  and  appeared  as 
a  thin  yellow  line  almost  lost  in  the  vast  expanse  of 
green  bush  that  surrounded  it.  Old  rhinoceros  spoor 
was  plentiful  on  this  table-land,  and  there  were  many 
giraffe  about  but  very  little  game  of  any  other  sort. 

Five  miles  farther  on  we  crossed  a  narrow  valley 
150  feet  deep,  in  which  was  situated  a  large  water- 
hole  ;  when  we  passed,  it  was  quite  dry,  so  we  climbed 
up  the  other  side  on  to  another  plateau  180  feet 
higher  than  the  last.  The  bush,  however,  became 
very  dense,  the  track  disappeared,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  follow  an  old  elephant  trail.  While  I 
was  examining  the  pool  we  had  just  passed,  I  noticed 
that  some  elephants  had  come  down  from  the  north, 
but  on  finding  no  water  had  turned  south-west  alone 
the  trail,  and  had  proceeded  at  a  fast  walk  in  the 
direction  of  the  Lorian  Swamp.  We  followed  their 
tracks  easily  enough,  and  it  was  apparent  that  they 
were  very  thirsty,  as  they  had  not  halted  anywhere  to 

199 


TREMENDOUS  THUNDERSTORM 


feed,  but  had  continued  in  single  file  up  the  trail. 
Just  before  sunset  I  noticed  that  the  elephants  had 
left  the  path  and  turned  off  to  the  left.  Following  in 
their  footsteps  I  found  a  small  pool  about  half  a  mile 
away.  After  drinking,  they  apparently  had  stayed 
near  it  for  some  time,  for  the  water  was  very  muddy 
and  filthy ;  they  then  had  begun  to  feed,  moving 
slowly  away  towards  the  east. 

I  decided  to  camp  in  the  vicinity,  as  it  was  not 
safe  to  travel  in  the  dark  after  yesterday's  experience. 
The  camels  were  a  long  way  behind,  so  we  sat  down 
under  a  bush  to  await  their  arrival.  Huge  storm- 
clouds  had  been  quietly  gathering  all  afternoon,  and 
now  a  tremendous  thunderstorm  broke,  wetting  us  to 
the  skin  in  an  instant.  The  rain  fell  in  solid  sheets 
of  water,  the  track  became  a  raging  torrent,  and  pools 
were  formed  in  every  hollow.  To  add  to  the  dis- 
comfort a  strong  wind  rose,  chilling  us  to  the  bone. 
It  was  absolutely  impossible  to  light  a  fire — not  only 
were  the  matches  damp,  but  the  few  dead  branches 
lying  about  were  thoroughly  wet.  So  we  stood  and 
shivered  in  the  meagre  shelter  of  a  thorn  bush  and 
tried  to  summon  what  patience  we  could  until  the 
rest  of  the  caravan  turned  up. 

Just  as  darkness  was  falling,  and  the  storm  was 
abating,  the  camels  came  in ;  the  wet  wood  was 
immediately  collected  in  a  huge  heap,  a  few  sheets 
torn  from  my  notebook  were  placed  underneath,  and 
some  paraffin  poured  over  the  lot,  so  that  a  few 
minutes  after  applying  the  first  match  we  were  all 
warming  ourselves  before  a  huge  bonfire.  It  was 
delightful  to  feel  the  heat,  and  although  the  rain  had 
rendered  the  ground  very  wet  and  muddy,  and  every- 
thing was  disagreeably  sticky,  yet  the  pleasure  at 

200 


Headman — Dahir  Omar 


He  was  an  Ogaden  Somali  of  the  Mohammed  Zubheir  tribe.  Notice  the  knife,  spear,  pillow, 
and  shield.  On  the  latter  will  be  seen  several  dark  scratches.  These  were  c;>used  by  a  lion,  which 
killed  the  former  owner  of  the  shield  (see  Chapter  IV).  He  was  a  capable  and  intelligent  man,  and 
rendered  splendid  service  while  he  was  with  me. 


FIRST  VIEW  OF  THE  LORIAN 


feeling  warmth  and  comfort  stealing  over  one's 
body  again,  almost  wiped  out  the  recollection  of  all 
the  previous  discomforts.  At  last  my  tent  was 
pitched,  a  strong  zariba  built,  and  I  was  able  to  sit 
down  to  a  good  supper. 

As  soon  as  it  was  sufficiently  light,  we  broke 
camp,  and  continued  our  march  across  the  plateau. 
Except  for  being  somewhat  stiff  I  was  none  the  worse 
for  the  experience  of  the  night  before,  and  I  felt  very 
happy  and  contented  to  think  that  my  goal  was  so 
close  at  hand.  For  days  and  weeks  I  had  been 
thinking  of  the  Lorian  Swamp,  for  months  it  had 
been  my  one  desire  to  reach  it ;  at  times  it  had 
seemed  as  though  I  should  never  attain  it,  and  now 
I  knew  it  lay  close  by  and  might  see  it  at  any  moment. 
On  and  on  we  marched,  until  at  length  we  reached 
the  edge  of  the  plateau,  and  here  I  obtained  my  first 
view  of  Lorian.  At  my  feet  stretched  an  immense 
shallow  valley  which  lay  across  our  path  and 
disappeared  on  either  side  in  the  blue  mist  of  the  far 
horizon.  In  the  distance,  a  great  way  ahead,  I  could 
see  a  thin,  white  streak  amidst  the  bush,  which  I  knew 
must  be  the  plains  on  either  side  of  the  Lorian,  while 
still  farther  a  low  line  of  rounded  hills  showed 
indistinctly  in  the  early  morning  haze.  To  right  and 
left,  between  the  plains  and  the  plateau  on  which  we 
were,  the  desert  scrub  stretched  away  interminably. 
It  was  a  lonely  and  desolate  scene  ;  but  the  vastness 
of  the  view,  the  mystery  that  f6r  ever  broods  over  an 
unknown  land,  and  the  faint  blue  mist  in  the  south 
where  the  low  hills  rose  against  the  sky,  gave 
solemnity  and  a  melancholy  charm  to  a  landscape 
that  was  otherwise  monotonous  and  tedious. 


201 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


PLAIN  AND  SWAMP 

Only  those  who  have  travelled  in  a  desert  country 
will  realise  my  feelings  as  I  gazed  at  that  insignificant 
white  line  in  the  distance,  and  knew  that  permanent 
water  was  close  at  hand.  With  this  knowledge  a 
heavy  load  of  anxiety  and  of  responsibility  was  lifted 
from  my  shoulders.  In  that  moment  I  was  filled  with 
true  thankfulness,  and  it  seemed  as  if  at  last  my 
troubles  were  over  and  that  the  rest  of  my  journey 
would  be  easy  and  pleasant,  though  many  a  long  mile 
lay  between  me  and  civilisation. 

Eagerly  I  called  on  my  men  to  start,  and,  leading 
the  way,  I  climbed  down  the  side  of  the  plateau  into 
the  valley.  On  all  sides  the  bush  rose  like  a  solid 
wall,  shutting  out  the  view,  but  the  game  trail  led 
onwards,  marked  by  broken  branches,  where  giant 
bodies  had  forced  their  way.  In  our  eagerness  to 
reach  the  swamp,  the  road  seemed  interminable,  and 
wound  in  and  out  in  a  most  confusing  manner,  until 
at  length  abruptly,  without  any  warning,  the  bush 
ceased  and  we  emerged  into  an  open  plain.  The 
ground,  sandy  and  bare  save  for  a  thin  covering  of 
short  grass,  sloped  gently  down  for  a  couple  of  miles 
until  it  met  the  darker  green  of  the  reed  beds,  which 
stretched  in  an  apparently  unbroken  line  to  right  and 
left,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Above  the  tangled 
vegetation  of  the  swamps  a  thin  line  of  thorn-trees 

202 


ORYX 


rose,  delicately  outlined  against  the  blue  of  the  sky. 
A  herd  of  Grant's  gazelle,  a  couple  of  oryx  beisa  and 
a  solitary  Grevy's  zebra  were  feeding  peacefully  at 
the  edge  of  the  reeds,  while  egrets  in  astonishing 
numbers  were  resting  on  the  thorn  trees  or  flying 
over  the  swamp,  their  white  feathers  flashing  in  the 
sun.  The  abrupt  cessation  of  the  bush,  which  had 
become  so  detestably  familiar  to  me,  and  the  narrow 
strip  of  bare  and  arid  plain,  in  striking  contrast  to  the 
tropical  fertility  of  the  swamp,  combined  to  form  a 
scene  that  was  strange,  even  dramatic,  in  its  contrast. 

I  decided  to  camp  half-way  between  the  bush  and 
the  reed  bed  in  the  open  plain,  and  I  set  the  porters 
who  were  with  me  to  build  a  zariba,  while  waiting  for 
the  camels  to  arrive.  In  the  meantime  I  made  my 
way  towards  where  the  oryx  were  feeding,  as  it  was 
very  necessary  to  obtain  some  meat  for  myself  and 
my  men. 

Stalking  them  was  a  difficult  and  slow  proceeding, 
for  there  was  no  cover  ;  I  wanted  to  be  sure  of  my 
shot  so  as  not  to  frighten  unduly  other  game  that 
might  be  in  the  vicinity.  I  soon  discovered  that  there 
were  three  oryx,  for  I  had  not  seen  one  that  was 
lying  down  close  to  the  others.  When  I  was  still 
300  yards  away  they  began  to  move  around, 
obviously  uneasy,  though  they  had  not  made  me  out. 
I  lay  quite  motionless  stretched  on  the  ground  ;  in 
another  five  minutes  they  had  begun  to  graze  again. 
In  this  way  I  gradually  got  closer,  and  finally  I  took 
a  shot  at  just  under  200  yards  at  the  largest  of 
the  three  as  he  was  facing  me.  From  the  sound  of 
the  bullet  I  thought  I  had  made  a  good  shot ;  he  fell 
like  a  log,  then  got  up,  ran  forward  for  about  a  couple 
of  hundred  yards  and  lay  down  again.    One  of  the 

203 


A  FINE  BULL 


others  remained  with  him,  moving  round  and  round 
and  trying  to  make  him  get  up,  but  the  other  one 
galloped  off  and  disappeared  in  the  bush.  As  I 
thought  the  oryx  was  hit  in  the  shoulder,  I  sat  down 
for  about  ten  minutes,  and  then  got  up  and  walked 
towards  him  to  finish  him  off.  But  as  he  caught 
sight  of  me,  he  rose,  and  with  the  cow  dashed  off 
madly  towards  the  bush. 

Although  running  on  three  legs  only  he  went  at 
a  great  pace.  I  was  very  much  disappointed,  and 
could  not  make  out  where  I  had  hit,  but  I  decided  to 
follow  him  and  try  to  put  him  out  of  his  misery.  So 
I  took  up  the  blood  spoor,  which  was  very  clear,  at  a 
trot,  and  soon  I  reached  and  entered  the  bush  once 
more.  I  proceeded  more  cautiously,  and  presently,  on 
looking  through  the  undergrowth,  I  made  him  out 
under  a  tree  not  40  yards  away.  It  was  an  easy  shot, 
and  I  brought  him  down  with  a  broken  neck.  He 
proved  to  be  a  fine  bull  in  the  height  of  condition, 
with  a  symmetrical  and  massive  pair  of  horns  measur- 
ing a  shade  under  34  inches  in  length.  This  is 
a  good  average  length  for  a  herd  bull,  but  the 
horns  of  cows  and  old  bulls  leading  a  solitary  life 
attain  a  much  greater  size  ;  my  bullet  had  hit  him 
just  above  the  hoof,  breaking  the  bone  completely — 
a  bad  shot  indeed,  but  one  that  proved  effective, 
luckily  for  me.  Leaving  my  gun-bearer  and  skinner 
with  him,  I  walked  back  to  camp  with  my  orderly, 
and  found  my  tent  up  and  the  camels  grazing.  The 
men  were  delighted  with  the  news  that  I  had  killed, 
and  all  the  meat  was  soon  brought  back. 

The  next  four  days  were  spent  in  examining  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  swamp ;  every  moment  was 
precious,  for  my  supply  of  rice  had  now  given  out 

204 


SCANTY  SUPPLIES 


completely  and  I  had  nothing  left  but  a  couple  of 
sacks  of  badly  ground  maize  that  I  had  bought  at 
Kismayu,  which  was  almost  uneatable,  consisting 
chiefly  of  dried  husks,  dust  and  pebbles.  I  had  been 
badly  cheated,  of  course,  but  it  is  impossible  to  go 
through  every  sack  at  the  time  of  purchase.  For- 
tunately game  was  fairly  plentiful,  so  that  I  was  able 
to  provide  sufficient  meat.  But  in  spite  of  the 
wretched  food,  there  was  very  little  grumbling  among 
my  followers.  With  but  few  exceptions  they  were 
really  a  splendid  set  of  men,  especially  the  Somali, 
and  I  owe  them  a  real  debt  of  gratitude  for  the 
willingness  with  which  they  carried  out  their  work, 
and  for  the  silent  patience  with  which  they  endured 
the  hardships  and  sufferings  to  which  I  was  com- 
pelled to  expose  them  daily. 

The  place  where  I  first  reached  the  swamp  is 
known  as  Melka  Waja ;  Melka  is  a  Somali  word 
meaning  a  " place"  and  "waja"  is  the  name  of  a 
graceful  thorn  tree,  with  pale  green  bark  and  delicate 
feathery  branches.  It  is  much  prized  by  the  natives, 
owing  to  a  kind  of  gum  that  exudes  from  it,  which  is 
apparently  very  sustaining,  if  eaten.  But  before 
going  on  to  describe  my  journey  between  Melka 
Waja  and  Marti  mountain,  I  will  give  a  brief 
summary  of  the  Lorian  district  in  order  that  the 
reader  may  have  a  clearer  picture  of  that  part  of  the 
country. 

First  of  all  I  should  like  to  emphasise  the  fact 
that  the  river  bed  is  continuous  from  the  source  of  the 
Uaso  Nyiro  to  Afmadu,  since  this  was  not  known 
previously.  Once  past  the  remarkable  volcanic 
plateau,  called  by  the  natives  Marti,  the  Uaso  Nyiro 
is  known  to  the  Borana  and  Somali  as  Lorian,  and 

205 


THE  LORIAN  DISTRICT 


this  name  is  extended  to  the  district  through  which  it 
flows  until  permanent  water  ceases  at  Madoleh  ("  place 
of  darkness  ").  From  that  place  to  Afmadu  the  stream 
bed  is  known  as  the  Lak  Dera  ("the  long  water- 
course ").  But  although  in  the  latter  stages  of  its 
wanderings  the  river  is  generally  dry,  and  its  channel 
often  ill-defined  and  overgrown  with  dense  jungle,  yet 
to  the  careful  observer,  who  has  patiently  followed  its 
course,  the  main  stream  bed  is  always  distinguishable. 
A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  that  the  district  of  Lorian 
is  contained  between  the  39th  and  40th  meridians 
of  E.  longitude  along  the  1st  parallel  of  N.  latitude. 
It  may  be  considered  as  a  shallow  valley  sloping 
gently  to  the  south-east,  whose  floor  consists  of  an 
alluvial  plain  of  great  extent,  divided  unequally  into 
two  parts  by  the  river  and  the  swamps  through  which 
it  flows. 

There  are  three  swamps  in  the  Lorian  district. 
The  first  is  situated  about  sixty  miles  to  the  east  of 
Marti  (i°  09'  59"  N.,  390  15'  47"  E.),  and  is  called 
by  the  Borana  and  Somali  Melka  Gela  ("  watering- 
place  of  camels").  It  consists  of  a  large  shallow 
depression  about  ten  miles  long  by  two  broad,  lying 
close  to  the  south  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  latter 
turns  from  its  north-eastern  course  to  east,  and  then 
south-east.  It  is  covered  during  the  rainy  season 
with  tall,  coarse  grass,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  and  the 
ground  becomes  very  saturated  and  swampy,  and  if 
the  rains  have  been  particularly  abundant  these  con- 
ditions may  extend  to  the  north  bank.  In  the  dry 
season,  however,  the  grass  withers  and  the  ground 
grows  hard,  and  cracks,  leaving  large  gaps  in  its 
surface.  There  are  also  one  or  two  tiny  little  stream 
beds  that  wander  across  this  swamp  ;  but  they  cannot 

206 


THE  LORIAN  SWAMP 


be  mistaken  for  the  real  river,  which  is  at  least  60 
feet  across  at  this  place,  and  6  to  8  feet  deep. 

Thirty  miles  farther  east  is  the  main  Lorian 
Swamp,  an  enormous  bed  of  dark  green  reeds. 
Before  entering  it  the  river  flows  for  three  miles 
through  a  bare  alluvial  plain,  and  is  about  45  feet 
broad  by  4  deep ;  but,  once  within,  it  divides  into 
three  channels,  the  centre  one  being  the  largest. 
The  northern  branch,  which  was  practically  dry  when 
I  was  there,  rejoins  the  river  lower  down,  but  the 
southern  branch,  as  far  as  I  was  able  actually  to 
ascertain,  finally  disappears  in  the  mud  to  the  south- 
east. A  small  stream,  known  as  the  Lak  Arro  Dima, 
runs  down  from  the  hills  to  the  north  and  joins  the 
main  river  bed.  In  the  eastern  portion  of  this  swamp 
the  reeds  give  place  to  coarse  grass  9  to  10  feet  high, 
and  equally  dense.  Finally,  in  long.  390  45'  6"  E. 
and  lat.  i°  o'  61 5"  N.,  the  river  emerges  once  more 
into  an  open  plain.  At  this  point  the  bush  which 
covers  the  Lorian  hills  comes  down  to  within  half 
a  mile  of  the  river  and  then  recedes  far  back  until 
it  is  met  with  once  again  at  Madoleh. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  exactly  how  big  this  swamp 
really  is,  since  it  varies  greatly  with  the  seasons,  but 
to  give  fifty  miles  as  its  circumference  would  be  a 
conservative  estimate.  Its  northern  bank  is  called 
Arro  Dima ;  its  southern,  Jaffa  Wein.  Much  water 
is  lost  by  evaporation,  but  in  my  opinion  the  greater 
part  sinks  underground.  At  any  rate,  the  river 
emerges  as  a  narrow  shallow  stream  flowing  between 
high  banks,  whose  course  is  marked  by  a  thin  line  of 
waja  trees.  Six  miles  farther  east  it  enters  yet  a 
third  swamp  near  Melka  Waja,  consisting  of  tall 
grass  and  a  few  acacia  trees,  and  being  in  extent  five 

207 


ARDUOUS  EXPLORATION 


miles  long  by  two  broad,  but  its  size  may  be  increased 
during  the  rainy  season.  Underfoot,  in  both  the 
second  and  third  swamps,  the  ground  was  very  soft 
and  saturated,  and  in  February,  when  I  visited  them, 
there  were  about  6  inches  of  surface  water.  In  a 
still  further  attenuated  form  the  stream  emerges  once 
more  and  flows  eastwards  for  eleven  miles  through  flat 
alluvial  plains,  gradually  diminishing  in  size  until 
permanent  water  ends  in  a  series  of  shallow  pools 
surrounded  by  trees  and  bush,  and  this  spot  is  called 
Madoleh.  In  exceptional  years  of  rain,  water  may 
be  found  farther  east,  but  the  Somali  and  Borana  I 
met  assured  me  that  a  traveller  could  always  depend 
on  getting  water  at  Madoleh,  if  not  on  the  surface, 
at  any  rate  only  a  few  inches  below,  and  it  is  towards 
this  place  that  they  always  direct  their  steps  when 
travelling  across  the  thorn-covered  desert  that  lies 
between  the  Tana  and  Lorian. 

Having  indicated  the  main  features  of  the  Lorian 
district,  I  will  continue  the  narrative  of  my  journey. 
As  I  mentioned  above,  I  remained  four  days  investi- 
gating the  country  between  Melka  Waja  and  Arro 
Dima.  The  small  swamp,  near  which  I  camped  at 
first,  was  very  interesting  to  me,  but  the  work  of 
exploring  it  proved  extremely  arduous.  Once  the 
coarse  grass  was  entered,  progress  was  terribly  trying. 
At  every  step  thousands  of  mosquitoes  and  biting 
insects  of  every  kind  were  roused,  while  I  sank 
continually  to  my  knees  in  the  soft  clinging  mud. 
Time  and  time  again  I  stumbled  over  tangled  roots, 
and  it  was  only  after  persistent  efforts  that  I  reached 
the  river  bank. 

As  I  was  following  it  westwards,  I  came  upon  a 
little  island  of  solid  ground  about  200  yards  from  the 

208 


BUSH  SHELTERS 


stream.  It  was  covered  with  waja  trees  and  a  few 
large  acacias  all  growing  close  together.  In  the 
middle  I  found  two  small  bush  shelters,  where  three 
or  four  men  had  obviously  been  hiding.  To  say  the 
least,  it  was  exceedingly  curious ;  what  they  were 
doing  there  I  cannot  imagine,  for  no  one  would  live 
in  such  dismal  surroundings  unless  he  were  forced 
to  do  so.  They  may  have  been  Borana  trying  to 
escape  from  their  Somali  oppressors,  the  Abd  Wak, 
or  perhaps  fugitives  of  the  latter  tribe  in  hiding  after 
the  disastrous  defeat  they  had  suffered  at  the  hands 
of  the  Mohammed  Zubheir.  Whoever  they  were, 
the  signs  of  human  habitation  in  the  midst  of  the 
tangled  confusion  of  that  desolate  swamp  seemed 
almost  incredible,  and  struck  a  strange,  even  a 
sinister  note. 

At  last  I  emerged  once  more  into  the  open,  having 
followed  the  course  of  the  river  from  end  to  end  of 
the  swamp  ;  but,  in  addition,  I  had  to  fix  the  general 
outline  of  the  hills  and  their  heights,  and  to  ascertain 
the  lie  of  the  land  to  the  east  of  Melka  Waja  swamp. 
While  working  I  also  had  to  shoot  for  the  pot,  and 
take  various  astronomical  observations,  so  I  had  no 
time  to  spare.  Grant's  gazelle  (G.  granti  brighti) 
and  Grevy's  zebra  were  fairly  numerous,  but  I  saw 
no  more  oryx  or  any  other  game  until  I  reached 
Arro  Dima. 

When  I  broke  camp  at  Melka  Waja,  I  sent  my 
camels  a  long  way  outside  the  swamp  in  case  there 
should  be  any  tsetse  fly,  and  my  mule  went  with 
them.  Meanwhile,  I  followed  the  course  of  the  river 
on  foot,  and  a  very  trying  and  exhausting  march  it 
proved.  I  took  several  photographs  of  the  river,  and 
by  climbing  a  thorn  tree  managed  to  get  a  view  of 
o  209 


ZEBRA 


the  swamp  from  within,  but  no  picture  can  convey- 
any  idea  of  the  true  character  of  the  place.  At  length 
I  reached  the  junction  of  the  Lak  Arro  Dima,  and 
following  that,  came  out  on  to  the  plains,  where  I 
found  my  headman  had  made  camp  some  two  miles 
away.  In  the  distance,  to  the  north-east,  the  Lorian 
hills  rose  gently  from  the  plain,  their  outline  softened 
by  the  shimmering  heat  waves  ;  to  the  south  the  dark 
green  of  the  reed  bed  could  be  seen  stretching  away 
in  an  unbroken  line  to  the  horizon,  and  in  between 
lay  the  interminable  alluvial  flats,  bare  and  desolate, 
save  for  an  occasional  stunted  bush  or  a  small  herd 
of  game,  made  fantastic  and  unreal  by  the  shifting 
and  ever  present  mirage. 

Lack  of  food,  however,  rendered  it  imperative  that 
I  should  go  out  in  search  of  meat.  I  soon  spotted  a 
couple  of  zebra ;  they  were  rather  suspicious,  and 
would  gallop  off  for  two  or  three  hundred  yards  every 
time  I  thought  I  was  getting  within  shooting  distance. 
There  being  no  cover,  it  was  useless  to  try  a  stalk,  so 
I  got  up  and  walked  slowly  but  steadily  diagonally 
towards  them.  This  ruse  succeeded  at  last,  after  a 
couple  of  attempts,  and  I  managed  to  approach  fairly 
close.  I  then  sat  down  quickly,  took  rapid  aim  and 
fired  at  the  stallion.  The  bullet  hit  him  just  below 
the  shoulder,  breaking  the  leg,  but  not  wounding  him 
fatally.  As  he  went  off  I  fired  twice  again,  but 
missed.  I  had  had  nothing  to  eat  that  day,  except 
a  cup  of  tea  and  some  toast,  and  I  determined  I  would 
not  lose  him,  so  I  got  on  my  mule  and,  with  my  rifle 
in  my  hand,  galloped  after  him.  It  was  not  very 
long  before  I  overtook  him,  handicapped  as  he  was 
by  his  broken  leg. 

My  mule's  blood  was  up  and  she  became  almost 

210 


AN  EXCITING  RIDE 


unmanageable,  so  that  I  could  not  get  off,  especially 
as  I  only  had  one  hand  free.  At  last  we  entered 
the  bush,  going  at  full  gallop,  and  matters  became 
really  exciting.  It  was  a  mad  rush,  but  my  only 
chance  was  to  catch  the  zebra  and  shoot  it  as  I 
passed,  and  this  I  managed  to  do  very  luckily  almost 
at  once,  for  the  zebra  stumbled  and  fell,  and  I  killed 
it  before  it  rose  again  ;  but  it  took  me  quite  a  time 
to  quieten  the  mule.  The  men  came  up  shortly  after, 
and  I  left  them  to  bring  in  the  meat,  while  I  rode 
back  to  camp,  and  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  a  shave  and 
a  warm  bath  while  dinner  was  being  prepared.  I 
rather  disliked  the  idea  of  eating  zebra,  but  I  was 
spared  the  ordeal,  for  my  skinner,  who  had  been  out 
collecting,  had  killed  a  francolin — a  change  in  my 
menu  that  was  very  welcome.  My  men,  however, 
were  glad  enough  to  have  the  zebra,  especially  as 
they  are  among  the  few  wild  animals  on  which  there 
is  any  fat,  of  which  they  are,  almost  without  exception, 
inordinately  fond. 

All  through  my  stay  at  the  Lorian,  especially  when 
working  in  the  swamps,  I  was  much  troubled  by  a 
variety  of  biting  flies  and  insects,  but  chiefly  by 
swarms  of  mosquitoes  (Stegomyia).  They  are  found 
in  incredible  numbers  near  the  river,  becoming  more 
and  more  scarce  as  one  leaves  it,  until  they  disappear 
at  a  distance  of  about  five  miles  away.  Along  the 
water's  edge  and  in  the  reed  beds  their  attentions 
become  almost  unbearable,  attacking  one  in  a  perfect 
swarm  all  day  long,  and,  although  a  mosquito  curtain 
kept  them  off  at  night,  the  irritation  caused  by  their 
bites  made  sleep  impossible.  Though  numerous  in 
Jubaland,  I  had  never  met  them  in  sufficient  numbers 
to  cause  much  annoyance,  but  in  the  Lorian,  hunger, 

211 


PLAGUE  OF  MOSQUITOES 

thirst  and  fatigue,  and  all  the  other  minor  incon- 
veniences which  a  traveller  in  the  far  corners  of  the 
world  must  of  necessity  endure,  sank  into  insignificance 
compared  to  the  irritation  and  real  pain  caused  by 
these  abominable  insects. 


212 


CHAPTER  XIX 


A  LAND  OF  MIRAGE 

On  leaving  Arro  Dima,  I  first  crossed  the  stream  bed 
that  bears  that  name,  and  then  marched  N.W.,  skirt- 
ing the  edge  of  the  swamp,  sometimes  within  the 
reeds,  sometimes  on  the  bare  alluvial  flats  just  outside. 
But  the  camels  made  a  wide  detour  in  order  to  avoid 
the  possibility  of  infection  from  "fly."  I  did  not  see 
any  tsetse,  however,  although  there  may  have  been  a 
few  amongst  the  countless  bitino-  insects  that  attacked 
me,  and  it  was  not  until  Melka  Gela  was  reached  that 
they  were  met  with  in  any  numbers.  But  whether 
they  are  infected  or  not,  it  is  difficult  to  say  ;  I  should 
think  it  was  improbable,  for  the  Borana  own  enormous 
herds  of  cattle  in  the  western  portion  of  the  Lorian, 
and  they  told  me  that  they  were  very  little  troubled 
by  "  fly."  On  the  other  hand,  there  have  been  several 
suspected  cases  amongst  the  cattle  brought  down  from 
Lorian  to  Rumuruti  and  Naivashi  by  Somali  traders. 

During  this  march  I  found  and  followed  the 
northern  branch  of  the  river,  which  was  then  dry, 
save  for  a  few  shallow  pools.  That  a  considerable 
amount  of  water  flows  down  it  at  certain  seasons  is 
obvious,  for  the  bed  is  12  feet  deep  and  about  30  feet 
broad.  Tall  grass  and  reeds  grow  right  up  to  the 
edge  of  the  bank  in  such  profusion  as  to  completely 
hide  the  stream  from  view  ;  in  fact,  I  had  no  idea  of 
its  close  proximity,  until,  in  forcing  my  way  through 

213 


ELEPHANT  SKULLS 


the  grass,  which  rose  above  my  head,  I  suddenly  fell 
and  found  myself,  on  getting  up,  in  the  soft  mud  that 
forms  the  river  bed.  At  length  I  emerged  from  the 
swamp  ;  in  front  of  me  stretched  a  perfectly  level 
expanse  of  plain,  devoid  of  all  vegetation,  through 
which  the  river  ran  sluggishly  in  a  very  winding 
channel.  I  could  trace  its  course  until  it  was  lost  to 
sight  in  a  narrow  belt  of  bush  some  three  or  four 
miles  ahead.  Still  farther  away  some  big  trees 
apparently  grew  along  its  banks,  but  everything  was 
distorted  into  curious  and  fantastic  shapes  by  the 
shifting  mirage,  and  it  was  impossible  to  make 
anything  out  distinctly. 

In  the  distance,  to  my  right,  I  could  see  my  camels 
making  their  way  towards  the  bush,  where  I  had  told 
the  headman  to  make  camp,  but  they  appeared  unreal 
and  enormously  magnified,  and  seemed  to  be  floating 
in  the  air,  so  strange  was  the  effect  of  the  shimmering 
heat  waves  that  rose  from  the  baked  brown  earth. 
I  started  across  the  plain  in  order  to  join  my  safari, 
when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  what  looked  like 
three  enormous  white  stones.    They  proved  to  be  the 
skulls  of  elephants  from  which  the  tusks  had  been 
extracted.    They  were  probably  victims  of  Borana 
hunters,  who,  during  the  dry  season,  come  down  to 
the  Lorian  in  search  of  game.    I  had  been  much 
surprised  that  I  had  not  seen,  during  my  work  in 
Melka  Waja  and  Arro  Dima  Swamps,  any  fresh  signs 
of  elephant,  buffalo,  rhino  or  hippo.    Old  spoor  was 
plentiful,  especially  of  elephant,  but  except  for  a  few 
zebra  and  gazelle  and  an  occasional  oryx,  game  was 
conspicuous  by  its  absence  between  Madoleh  and 
Melka  Dera  ("the  long  watering-place"),  which  is 
the  native  name  for  the  small  district  I  was  now  in. 

214 


MIRAGE 


Later  on  I  was  given  a  very  probable  explanation 
of  this  state  of  affairs  by  two  Haweyah  hunters  that 
I  met  near  Marti,  and  who  accompanied  me  for 
some  time  as  guides.  They  said  that  whenever 
there  was  any  surface  water  in  the  bush  or  in  the 
hills  the  game  left  the  Lorian  and  scattered  over 
the  country,  where  feed  was  good  and  plentiful,  only 
returning  to  the  river  when  the  "worrta"  or  rain-pans 
dried  up.  At  such  times  enormous  herds  of  elephant, 
buffalo  and  other  smaller  species  of  game  collected 
on  the  plains  round  the  swamps.  This  would  explain 
the  conflicting  accounts  of  big-game  hunters  who 
have  from  time  to  time  found  their  way  in  the 
western  portions  of  the  Lorian  district. 

Having  examined  these  remains,  I  proceeded 
slowly  onwards,  for  the  heat  was  now  very  great, 
and  the  mirage,  if  possible,  even  more  accentuated. 
Suddenly  to  my  left,  about  a  mile  away,  I  saw  a 
herd  of  animals  moving  about.  I  was  accompanied 
by  my  orderly  and  skinner,  both  men  born  in  the 
wilds  and  accustomed  from  their  earliest  days  to 
seeing  game  of  every  kind,  yet  none  of  us  could 
decide  what  they  were,  so  unreal  and  fantastic  was 
their  appearance  in  the  strange  atmospheric  conditions 
that  prevailed.  What  struck  us  as  particularly  odd 
was  that  they  seemed  to  be  bathing  in  a  shallow 
lake,  for  now  and  again  we  saw  a  silver  streak,  as 
though  they  were  splashing  in  the  water.  So  large 
did  they  look,  that  I  mistook  them  at  first  for  buffalo, 
but  on  approaching  closer,  I  saw  that  they  were  only 
waterbuck,  and  that  the  white  we  had  observed  was 
caused  by  a  number  of  egret,  whose  snowy  plumage 
flashed  like  silver  as  they  rose,  although  they  were 
inconspicuous  enough  on  the  ground. 

215 


WHITE  WATERBUCK 

There  were  about  twenty  antelope  in  all,  with 
the  unmistakable  white  elliptical  ring  on  the  rump 
from  which  these  waterbuck  obtain  their  specific  title 
(Cobus  ellipsiprymnus).  In  this  group  there  were 
but  three  young  bucks,  the  rest  being  does,  and 
none  of  them  was  worth  shooting.  One  of  the 
latter,  however,  was  feeding  apart,  and  her  appearance 
was  so  unusual  that  she  immediately  caught  my 
attention.  Instead  of  the  grizzled  grey-roan  coat 
so  characteristic  of  the  waterbuck,  she  was  of  a 
uniform  yellow-white  colour,  and  the  hair  long  and 
more  or  less  shaggy,  and  the  muzzle  dark.  This 
was  an  albino,  a  few  specimens  of  which  have  been 
obtained  in  the  Lorian  district.  Being  a  doe,  I  did 
not  attempt  to  shoot  her,  but  I  was  very  disappointed 
at  not  seeing  a  buck,  as  I  should  very  much  have 
liked  to  obtain  one  of  these  so-called  white  water- 
bucks.  According  to  Colonel  Broun  the  eyes  are 
of  normal  colour,  and  the  nose  and  feet  dark.  They 
are  some  freak  of  nature,  and  are  unlikely  to  form 
a  separate  species,  being  probably  descendants  from 
the  same  parents.  It  is  at  least  a  curious  coincidence 
that  Mr.  A.  B.  Percival  obtained  an  albino  zebra  in 
the  Lorian  district  to  the  south-west  of  the  main 
swamp,  and  I  believe  one  or  two  more  were  shot  later 
in  the  same  region. 

On  reaching  the  bush,  I  found  my  tent  pitched 
in  the  shade  of  a  large  acacia.  The  scenery  was 
most  lovely  and  picturesque,  while  the  trees  afforded 
pleasant  shade  in  which  relief  could  be  obtained  from 
the  trying  glare  of  the  open  plains.  I  spent  a  day 
at  this  camp,  wandering  through  the  bush  that  covers 
the  banks  of  the  river  ;  I  found  traces  of  a  Borana 
boma,  and  more  remains  of  dead  elephants.  Old 

216 


The  Second  Lorian  Swamp 

The  line  of  trees  in  the  distance  denotes  the  actual  river-bed ;  they  are  thornless  acacia  trees 
called  "  Waja"  by  the  natives,  and  they  give  their  name  to  the  surrounding  district  (Melka  Waja). 
The  photograph  was  taken  from  a  tree,  and  shows  the  tall  reeds  and  grass  that  render  it  almost 
impossible  to  penetrate  into  the  swamp. 


The  Uaso  Nyiro,  above  Marti  Plateau 

Notice  the  groves  of  dom  palms  on  both  banks.    They  are  a  conspicuous  feature  of  the  country 
between  Archer's  Post  and  Marti. 


FISH 


spoor  of  the  latter  was  exceedingly  plentiful,  and  in 
one  spot  on  the  plains  the  surface  was  cut  up  to 
an  extraordinary  extent  by  their  huge  footprints, 
clearly  proving  that  during  the  rains  these  mud-flats 
become  very  swampy. 

Through  the  enterprise  of  one  of  my  Swahili 
porters,  who  had  bought  some  fish-hooks  at  Kismayu, 
a  quantity  of  fish  were  caught  in  the  river,  and  they 
proved  a  highly  acceptable  addition  to  my  larder. 
They  were  of  three  kinds,  a  large  and  a  small  species 
of  barbel  and  a  fish  resembling  a  perch.  The  latter 
was  almost  uneatable,  as  it  contained  an  incredible 
quantity  of  bones  ;  but  the  two  former  were  delicious, 
and  when  fried  or  grilled  made  a  most  tasty  dish. 
They  were  artless  creatures.  A  hook  baited  with 
a  grasshopper  or  piece  of  meat  and  tied  to  a  thick 
piece  of  string  was  all  that  was  needed  to  haul  them 
in  one  after  the  other.  My  porters,  after  catching 
the  first  one,  would  cut  him  up  and  use  him  as  a 
bait  to  entrap  others,  and  they  seemed  as  eager  to 
take  the  hook  thus  disguised  as  when  it  was  covered 
by  a  more  dainty  morsel.  One  hungry  fish  actually 
swallowed  the  bare  hook,  from  which  the  grasshopper 
had  been  removed  by  a  more  artful  companion,  and 
was  quickly  hauled  to  the  shore. 

After  leaving  Melka  Dera  I  continued  marching 
in  a  north-westerly  direction,  following  the  left  bank 
of  the  river,  while  the  camels  kept  well  outside  the 
bush.  I  crossed  a  large  plain  covered  with  coarse 
grass  and  then  entered  more  open  country,  where 
only  a  narrow  fringe  of  bush  separated  the  river 
from  the  alluvial  flats.  The  grass  had  been  burned, 
and  now  the  fresh  green  shoots  were  just  springing 
up,  giving  to  the  scene  a  fertile  and  pleasant  aspect. 

217 


A  LARGE  HERD  OF  ORYX 


I  was  not  surprised,  therefore,  to  see  a  certain  quantity 
of  game  feeding ;  there  was  an  enormous  herd  of 
oryx,  more  than  I  had  ever  seen  gathered  together 
before.  As  far  as  I  could  ascertain  there  were  at 
least  one  hundred  and  fifty,  but  it  is  difficult  to  count 
animals  who  are  moving  about.  This  is  a  most 
unusual  sight,  for,  as  a  rule,  oryx  are  found  in  little 
herds  very  rarely  exceeding  twenty  individuals  in 
each.  It  was  a  lovely  scene  and  they  appeared  very 
handsome,  their  sleek  brown  bodies,  their  boldly 
marked  faces  and  long  sharp  horns  glistening  in 
the  sunlight. 

I  did  not  molest  them,  as  I  wished  to  shoot  a 
gazelle,  a  herd  of  which  I  saw  in  the  distance,  for 
the  flesh  of  the  latter  is  far  preferable.  This  I  was 
able  to  do,  and  while  it  was  being  skinned  I  rode 
on  to  look  for  a  suitable  camping-ground.  I  found 
a  cool  and  shady  spot  in  the  bush  near  the  river, 
not  far  from  a  likely-looking  ford.  Although  I  had 
myself  passed  over  to  the  southern  side  many  times, 
I  had  not  yet  succeeded  in  finding  a  place  where 
the  camels  could  wade  across,  for  they  are  helpless 
in  the  mud,  owing  to  the  peculiar  form  of  their 
feet,  which  are  especially  adapted  for  walking  on 
the  sand  or  hard  ground  of  an  arid  country.  At 
this  place  the  river  was  shallow  and  broad,  with  a 
sandy  bed,  so  that  I  hoped  I  might  be  able  to  get 
them  safely  over  in  the  afternoon.  This  ford  is 
known  to  the  Borana  as  Melka  Adi  (white  place), 
owing  to  the  unusually  light  colouring  of  the  soil. 

While  my  tent  was  being  pitched,  two  natives 
were  seen  approaching.  They  were  carrying  enor- 
mous spears  and  were  clothed  in  a  loose  cotton  cloth, 
once  white,  but  now  of  a  neutral  brown  tint.  They 

218 


CONVERSATIONAL  DIFFICULTIES 


were  brought  up  to  me  by  my  headman  and  orderly, 
and  I  questioned  them  as  to  who  they  were  and 
where  they  came  from.  They  said  they  were  Borana, 
and  that  their  village  lay  fourteen  miles  to  the  west 
near  Melka  Gela  (watering-place  of  camels).  I 
obtained  quite  a  lot  of  information  from  them  about 
the  country,  but  our  conversation  was  carried  on 
under  difficulties,  for  my  headman  was  the  only  one 
who  could  understand  their  language.  When  I 
asked  a  question  in  English,  it  was  turned  into 
Somali  by  my  interpreter  Hassan,  and  from  Somali 
into  Borana  by  Dahir,  the  headman,  and  their  answer 
came  back  to  me  in  a  similar  way.  Moreover,  it 
is  customary  among  the  Borana  for  the  listener  to 
repeat  in  a  loud  tone  the  last  word  of  the  question 
addressed  to  him,  a  habit  which  not  only  lengthens 
a  conversation  interminably,  but  also  sounds  very 
comic  if  one  is  not  accustomed  to  it.  The  following 
is  the  sort  of  thing  that  goes  on  : — 

Question :  How  far  is  your  village  ? 

Answer:  Village?    Our  village  is  not  very  far. 

Question:  Far?    How  many  hours  ? 

Answer:  Hours?    Perhaps  five. 

Question  :  Five  ?  five  hours  ? 

Answer :  A — Ah  ! 

To  which  you  reply,  A — Ah  !  A — Ah  !  if  you  are 
satisfied  and  wish  to  ask  another  q  lestion. 

However,  they  agreed  to  acv  as  guides  until  I 
could  get  others  from  the  next  village  ;  they  advised 
me  to  cross  the  river  that  evening,  so  that  an  early 
start  could  be  made  the  following  morning.  So  I 
gave  orders  to  my  headman  to  start  at  once,  while 
I  went  down  to  the  river  to  do  a  little  fishing  before 

219 


A  PRAIRIE  FIRE 


supper.  While  I  was  thus  occupied,  and  was  enjoy- 
ing the  peaceful  scene  that  lay  before  me,  I  noticed 
a  thin  blue  haze  growing  in  the  east :  this  increased 
in  volume  very  quickly,  and  soon  great  clouds  of 
smoke  began  to  pass  overhead,  driven  by  a  light 
breeze.  At  the  same  time  I  became  aware  of  a 
continuous  crackling  noise  which  gradually  grew 
louder,  while  the  heat  became  very  oppressive.  I 
walked  back  to  camp  and  found  everybody  working 
feverishly  to  p-et  the  last  few  loads  across  the  river  : 
the  camels  were  already  feeding  on  the  other  side, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  we  too  had  gained  the 
comparative  safety  of  the  southern  bank  and  were 
free  to  gaze  at  the  awe-inspiring  sight  of  the  prairie 
fire  that  raged  to  the  north  ;  huge  red  flames  could 
be  seen  rising  above  the  bush,  above  which  hung 
enormous  clouds  of  black  smoke.  As  darkness  fell 
the  beauty  of  the  scene  increased,  but  the  fire 
gradually  died  away  to  the  north-west,  and  on  the 
following  morning  the  black  and  smoking  plain  was 
all  that  was  left  to  mark  its  passage. 

We  were  lucky  to  have  been  able  to  cross  the 
river,  as  otherwise  we  might  have  been  very  awk- 
wardly situated.  How  it  started  I  have  not  the 
faintest  idea,  unless  one  of  my  porters  had  thrown 
away  a  cigarette  into  a  dry  patch  of  grass  during 
the  morning's  march :  the  country  through  which 
we  had  come  was  uninhabited,  so  it  could  not  have 
been  caused  by  the  natives. 

My  Borana  guides  were  very  anxious  to  have 
some  meat,  as  they  had  not  tasted  any  for  some 
considerable  time.  So  I  set  out  that  evening  in 
search  of  game.  It  was  good  policy  to  treat  them 
well,  as  I  wished  to  exchange  many  of  my  trade 

220 


IN  SEARCH  OF  GAME 


goods  at  the  next  village  for  sheep,  in  order  to  give 
my  men  some  better  food.  I  saw  nothing  for  a 
while  until  I  emerged  into  a  small  open  plain 
covered  with  coarse  yellow  grass  ;  a  small  herd  of 
waterbuck  were  feeding  on  the  far  side,  and  I  deter- 
mined to  approach  them  through  the  bush  :  the  wind 
was  favourable,  and  I  was  able  to  get  to  within  150 
yards  without  alarming  them.  There  were  seven 
in  all,  one  buck  and  six  does,  two  of  which  were 
white.  It  was  another  bitter  disappointment,  but  I 
refrained  from  shooting  either  of  the  white  does, 
and  aimed  instead  at  the  buck.  My  first  shot  was 
a  disgraceful  one,  passing  just  over  his  shoulder ;  the 
whole  herd  sprang  round  in  alarm,  first  running  a  little 
way  forward  and  then  back  again,  quite  at  a  loss  to 
know  in  what  direction  safety  lay,  for  they  could  not 
make  me  out  lying  quietly  under  a  bush.  I  soon 
had  another  opportunity,  of  which  I  took  better 
advantage,  and  brought  the  buck  down  with  shoulders 
broken. 

Waterbuck  are  indeed  handsome  animals,  and, 
common  though  they  are,  each  time  I  see  one  I  am 
struck  afresh  by  their  beauty  of  form  and  colouring. 
This  one  proved  very  big  and  heavy  in  bodily  size, 
but  his  horns  were  not  particularly  good,  being  just 
under  27  inches.  In  a  herd  bull  it  is  rare  to  find 
them  much  longer  than  this  ;  in  fact,  in  British  East 
Africa  the  record  is  3 1  i  inches,  which  compares  very 
unfavourably  with  such  gigantic  horns  as  those  obtained 
by  Mr.  F.  A.  Knowles  in  Uganda,  whose  length 
exceed  a  yard  by  nearly  2  inches.  Although 
waterbuck  feed  almost  entirely  on  grass,  their  flesh 
has  the  reputation  of  being  about  the  worst  of  all 
antelopes,  and  it  is  most  unpleasant  to  eat,  as  I  have 

221 


THE  MSUAKI  BUSH 


found  many  times  to  my  cost.  The  meat  is  particu- 
larly tough  and  stringy,  and  has  in  addition  a  very 
offensive  taste.  My  two  Borana,  however,  were  only 
too  pleased,  and  attempted  to  show  me,  by  rubbing 
their  bellies  and  by  other  gestures,  their  delight  at 
the  thought  of  the  coming  meal. 

The  following  morning  I  left  Melka  Adi  as  the 
first  streak  of  dawn  was  showing  in  the  east,  and 
following  the  right-hand  bank  of  the  river  marched 
at  first  south  and  then  west. 

The  typical  alluvial  flats  so  characteristic  of  the 
country  between  Melka  Dera  and  Melka  Waja  had 
given  place  to  grass-covered  plains,  dotted  plentifully 
with  little  islands  of  thorn-scrub.  A  few  dom  palms 
were  conspicuous  amidst  the  acacia  trees  that  hid 
the  river  from  view,  and  below,  in  the  undergrowth, 
the  "  msuaki "  bush  could  occasionally  be  seen.  This 
shrub  is  eagerly  sought  by  the  Somali,  for  from  its 
soft  and  fibrous  branches  they  make  their  "  tooth- 
sticks."  No  other  tribe  I  have  met  take  greater 
care  of  their  teeth  than  they,  and  whenever  suitable 
twigs  are  to  be  found  they  will  cut  small  pieces  and 
chew  the  end  until  it  is  soft  and  frayed,  which  thus 
forms  a  rough  tooth-brush.  They  will  then  spend 
hours  rubbing  and  rubbing,  until  they  are  satisfied 
that  their  teeth  are  clean. 

There  were  a  considerable  number  of  Grevy's 
zebra,  waterbuck,  Grant's  gazelle,  oryx  and  a  few 
gerenuk,  but  I  did  not  wish  to  shoot  until  I  was 
nearer  the  village  for  which  I  was  making.  At 
length  we  left  the  river,  and  skirting  the  edge  of  a 
large  grass-covered  plain  soon  reached  the  Borana 
boma  to  which  my  guides  belonged.  It  was  still 
quite  early,  so  while  my  tent  was  being  pitched  I 

222 


GRANT'S  GAZELLE 


sent  my  headman  off  to  the  village  to  interview  the 
chief  and  to  inform  him  that  I  wished  to  see  him 
in  the  afternoon,  and  went  off  myself  in  search  of 
game.  There  was  a  quantity  about,  and  my  quest 
resolved  itself  into  the  question  of  choosing  a  good 
head.  I  finally  obtained  two  excellent  specimens 
of  Grant's  gazelle  with  two  well-placed  shots.  Both 
carried  fine  horns,  so  I  had  them  skinned  and  brought 
back  to  camp  together  with  all  the  meat.  But  since 
I  wished  to  give  some  to  the  Borana  as  well  as  feed 
my  own  twenty-four  hungry  men,  I  was  compelled  to 
shoot  something  else. 

As  I  was  prowling  through  the  bush  I  caught  sight 
of  a  Grevy's  zebra,  and  I  decided  to  try  and  bag  him, 
as  I  wanted  another  complete  skin  of  that  species.  It 
took  me  some  time  to  approach  sufficiently  close,  but 
at  length  I  sat  down,  and  was  about  to  pull  the  trigger 
when  he  turned  round  and  faced  me.  Although  it 
was  a  difficult  shot,  I  managed  to  bring  it  off,  much 
to  my  delight.  On  receiving  the  bullet,  the  zebra 
made  a  frantic  spurt  of  about  200  yards,  then  halted, 
obviously  in  great  distress  ;  suddenly  his  legs  seemed 
to  give  way  under  him,  and  he  fell,  never  to  rise  again. 
On  examining  him  I  found  the  bullet  had  entered  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  chest,  and  passing  through  the 
heart  had  lodged  near  the  tail,  inflicting  a  terrible 
wound. 

Grevy's  zebra  are  very  large  animals,  standing 
about  58  or  59  inches  at  the  shoulder,  and  are  the 
most  highly  striped  of  the  whole  family.  The  mane 
is  very  full,  and  extends  on  to  the  withers,  while  the 
tail  tuft  is  also  large.  The  ears,  too,  are  peculiar,  being 
broad  and  thickly  haired,  and  thus  differ  essentially 
from  all  other  zebras.    It  has  been  suggested  that  the 

223 


GREVY'S  ZEBRA 


narrowness  of  the  stripes  and  the  large  size  of  the  ears 
are  adapted  to  a  life  partially  spent  in  thin  scrub, 
which  is  their  favourite  habitat ;  but,  personally,  I  have 
always  found  it  very  easy  to  detect  them,  and 
especially  so  when  in  the  sunlight,  for  then  their 
glossy  coat  looks  quite  white,  or  if  only  the  shadow 
side  is  seen,  quite  black. 

My  men  were  compelled  to  skin  him  and  cut  him 
up  on  the  spot,  as  he  was  too  awkward  a  load  to  put 
on  one  camel.  While  this  was  being  done  I  returned 
to  camp,  ate  a  hasty  lunch,  and  then  summoned  the 
Borana  headman,  as  I  wished  to  know  whether  he 
was  willing  to  trade,  and  whether  he  would  supply  me 
with  guides  to  take  me  on  to  Marti. 


224 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  BORANA 

In  due  course  I  was  visited  by  the  headman  of  the 
village,  accompanied  by  four  elders,  bringing  with 
them  a  sheep  as  a  gift  to  me.  After  a  few  words  of 
welcome,  he  began  a  long  and  bitter  complaint  against 
the  Abd  Wak,  who  had  lately  murdered  three  men  of 
his  village,  and  against  the  Samburu,  who  were  con- 
tinually oppressing  them.  He  said  that  when  the 
British  Government  undertook  to  administer  this  part 
of  East  Africa,  they  had  been  amongst  the  first  to 
submit  and  to  be  promised  protection.  They  had 
then  moved  southward  from  the  Abyssinian  border  to 
avoid  the  incessant  plundering  and  raiding  to  which 
they  were  continually  exposed,  but  they  found  their 
present  plight  even  more  distressing.  Although  they 
had  laid  their  case  before  the  officer  in  charge  at 
Wajheir,  who  had  promised  to  redress  their  wrongs, 
they  had  received  neither  help  nor  protection.  In 
reply,  I  told  him  I  was  exceedingly  sorry  to  learn  of 
their  difficulties,  but  as  I  was  not  a  Government 
official  I  could  do  nothing,  but  I  suggested  they 
should  apply  to  the  Commissioner  at  Meru.  It 
appeared,  however,  that  he  had  attempted  to  do  that, 
but  that  on  the  way  he  had  been  stopped  by  a  party 
of  Samburu  warriors  who  had  threatened  to  kill  him 
and  his  followers  unless  he  returned  at  once,  and 
further  promised  to  exterminate  his  whole  village  if 
p  225 


OPEN  BUSH  COUNTRY 


he  ever  attempted  to  pass  that  way  again.  I  could 
offer  him  little  consolation,  but  it  is  to  be  hoped,  for 
the  credit  of  our  reputation,  that  some  other  outlet 
may  be  found  for  the  energies  of  the  Samburu  and 
the  Abd  Wak.  So  obsessed  was  he  with  his  troubles 
that  I  could  get  little  or  no  information  from  him,  nor 
was  he  particularly  anxious  to  trade,  and  since  nearly 
all  the  male  population  of  the  village  was  away  at  the 
time,  I  decided  it  would  be  useless  to  spend  much 
time  at  that  place.  So  I  left  the  following  afternoon 
with  two  guides  to  take  me  to  the  next  boma,  after  I 
had  satisfied  myself  as  to  the  lie  of  the  land  and  char- 
acter of  the  surrounding  country. 

On  the  march  I  saw  several  herds  of  waterbuck, 
but  though  I  scanned  them  carefully  through  my 
glasses  I  could  not  detect  any  albinos.  There  were 
a  few  gazelle  and  zebra,  and  a  solitary  wart-hog 
(Pkacachcerus  cethiopicus  africanus),  which,  however, 
carried  very  poor  tusks.  The  vegetation  on  the  plains 
became  more  profuse,  forming  what  I  should  call 
"  open  bush  country,"  while  amongst  the  various  kinds 
of  acacia  trees  that  lined  the  banks  of  the  river,  dom 
palms  and  a  species  of  willow  were  conspicuous.  In 
fact,  the  landscape  presented  a  much  more  fertile 
appearance  than  it  had  previously.  The  dreary  mud- 
flats, which  contributed  so  largely  to  the  desolate  and 
forbidding  aspect  of  the  country  surrounding  the  main 
swamp,  had  disappeared,  giving  place  to  extensive 
stretches  of  land  eminently  suitable  for  agriculture. 
The  rich  alluvial  soil  seemed  admirably  adapted  to  the 
cultivation  of  cotton,  rice  and  maize,  while  the  forma- 
tion of  the  country  and  the  character  of  the  river 
would  enable  irrigation  to  be  carried  out  without  any 
difficulty  and  at  a  trifling  cost.    Who  knows  but  that 

226 


THE  TUFI  BORANA 


in  the  years  to  come  Lorian  may  not  be  the  centre 
of  a  teeming  population  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil, 
instead  of  a  lonely  swamp,  the  haunt  of  the  mosquito 
and  tsetse  fly,  seldom  visited  except  by  a  few  nomadic 
tribes  ? 

The  next  Borana  boma  was  reached  after  a  short 
but  pleasant  march.  It  proved  larger  than  the  one  I 
had  left,  and  was  the  scene  of  much  life  and  anima- 
tion when  I  arrived,  for  the  cattle,  goats  and  sheep 
were  being  driven  in  to  the  zariba  for  the  night. 
While  my  tent  was  being  pitched,  I  walked  down  to 
the  village,  inspected  the  huts  and  spent  a  pleasant 
hour  watching  the  inhabitants  at  their  daily  tasks. 
They  were  very  friendly  and  willing  to  oblige  and  to 
show  me  everything  I  wished  to  see,  but  my  ignorance 
of  their  language  proved  a  great  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  obtaining  all  the  information  I  sought — a  difficulty 
only  partially  overcome  by  the  efforts  of  my  headman 
and  interpreter. 

Both  these  villages  appeared  to  belong  to  the 
Tufi  Borana,  a  tribe  that  may  be  found  in  scattered 
communities  throughout  the  country  from  the  Lorian 
to  Wajheir  and  Eil  Wak  ("the  wells  of  God"). 
They  came  originally  from  Abyssinia,  their  head- 
quarters being  the  fertile  district  round  Moyale,  from 
which  they  have  been  driven  by  their  enemies. 
They  are  a  peaceful  pastoral  people,  but  faint-hearted, 
although  when  hard  pressed  they  will  show  fight. 
Consequently  they  are  continually  being  plundered 
and  harassed  by  the  surrounding  tribes.  In  physique 
they  resemble  the  Somali  and  the  Galla  rather  than 
the  negro.  They  are  light  coloured,  with  not  un- 
pleasing  features,  and  of  a  strong  but  somewhat 
clumsy  build.    The  women,  when  they  are  young, 

227 


BORANA  CUSTOMS  AND  LANGUAGE 


are  particularly  handsome,  and  their  lithe  and  graceful 
figures  are  especially  noticeable. 

The  Borana  are,  as  a  general  rule,  pagans,  although 
many  of  them  have  been  converted  to  Mohammedan- 
ism by  the  Somali.  They  believe,  however,  in  the 
existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  (Wak),  to  whom  they 
sacrifice  a  goat  or  sheep  before  undertaking  any 
important  expedition  and  going  out  to  war.  As 
far  as  I  could  gather,  they  have  no  conception  of, 
or  belief  in,  life  after  death.  Their  marriage  customs 
are  very  primitive  and  rarely  include  the  giving  of  a 
dowry :  they  are  polygamists,  and  their  conjugal 
morality  is  very  lax.  Unlike  the  Somali,  they  do 
not  practise  the  rites  of  circumcision  or  clitori- 
dectomy  ;  marriage  takes  place  at  a  very  early  age 
(ten  or  eleven)  and  the  girls  undergo  no  initiation 
ceremony  on  reaching  the  age  of  puberty,  as  is 
the  custom  among  many  uncivilised  tribes. 

Their  language  is  unwritten,  but  it  resembles  the 
Galla  and  is  not  unlike  the  Somali.  In  proof  of  this 
may  be  adduced  the  fact  that  the  Somali  are  able  to 
converse  easily  with  both  the  Galla  and  Borana  after 
a  very  brief  acquaintance  —  which  would  be  im- 
possible were  there  not  a  certain  similarity  between 
their  languages.  This,  in  conjunction  with  several 
customs  common  to  all  three  tribes,  would  appear  to 
indicate  a  common  origin,  and  this  is  very  probably 
the  case. 

The  Somali  look  with  contempt  on  the  Borana 
and  on  the  Galla,  and  will  not  for  a  moment  consider 
this  possibility — a  narrow  and  prejudiced  view  not 
unnatural  to  a  tribe  whose  ideals  consist  in  a  fancied 
superiority  over  their  neighbours.  Nothing  definite 
can  be  said  on  this  point,  for  it  requires  for  its 

228 


BORANA  DWELLINGS 


elucidation  a  far  more  intimate  knowledge  of  their 
respective  languages  than  we  possess  at  present.  It 
is  always  a  very  difficult  matter  for  a  European  to 
converse  with  such  natives,  for,  unless  the  words  are 
correctly  pronounced,  they  will  not  try  to  understand. 
This  may  be  explained  perhaps  by  the  fact  that,  their 
language  being  unwritten,  they  can  only  recognise 
one  unvarying  pronunciation  of  a  word,  and  if  this 
is  departed  from,  they  are  not  able  to  recognise  it, 
believing  it  to  be  in  a  foreign  tongue.  This  is  not 
unnatural,  but  at  the  same  time  it  is  very  irritating. 

Like  the  Somali,  the  Tufi  Borana  are  a  nomadic 
people  ;  but  they  inhabit  a  less  arid  region  than  the 
former  and  therefore  they  are  not  compelled  to  wander 
so  far  afield  in  search  of  pasture.  Moreover,  they  are 
more  sedentary  by  inclination,  and  the  range  of  their 
movements  is  as  restricted  as  the  exigencies  of  the 
water  -  supply  permit.  They  will  often  therefore 
remain  in  the  same  locality  for  weeks  and  even 
months,  so  long  as  there  is  a  sufficiency  of  feed  for 
their  cattle,  but  in  spite  of  this,  their  huts  are  of  a 
primitive  and  non-permanent  type. 

These  dwellings  are  of  a  beehive  shape,  and  are 
built  by  placing  over  a  light  framework  of  branches 
tied  together  with  fibre  a  thick  thatching  of  dried 
grass,  reeds  and  bush,  above  which  a  goat's  skin  or 
ox-hide  is  securely  lashed.  They  are  not  more  than 
6  or  7  feet  high,  and  are  much  more  flimsy  and 
insecure  than  the  Somali  "gurgi."  In  those  that  I 
inspected,  the  fire  was  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the 
entrance,  and  the  right-hand  portion  of  the  interior 
was  reserved  for  the  sleeping  apartment ;  in  the  day- 
time, at  any  rate,  there  was  no  division  between  the 
two  parts  of  the  hut.    Round  each  boma  there  is 

229 


BORANA  DRESS 


a  high  thorn  zariba ;  just  within  it  these  primitive 
shelters  are  built  with  the  entrance  facing  inwards, 
while  the  centre  of  the  boma  is  divided  into  a  number 
of  small  pens  communicating  with  each  other  by  a 
flimsy  doorway  of  branches  tied  at  right  angles  to 
three  horizontal  posts,  which  are  themselves  lashed 
to  the  walls  of  the  pen  by  leathern  thongs. 

In  one  corner  a  heavy  stake  is  driven  into  the 
ground,  to  which  the  cows  are  tied  at  milking-time, 
and  near  by  is  a  diminutive  additional  enclosure  in 
which  the  lambs  and  kids  are  kept.  These  very 
curious  and  interesting-  structures  resemble  nothing 
so  much  as  an  enormous  bird's  nest.  They  are 
circular  in  shape,  approximately  15  feet  in  diameter, 
built  of  logs  of  wood  and  branches,  and  lined  with 
dry  grass  and  reeds.  In  them  the  tiny  animals  are 
placed,  and  are  taken  out  every  morning  and  evening, 
one  by  one,  when  they  are  allowed  in  turn  to  go  to 
their  mothers  for  a  short  time,  after  which  the  latter 
are  milked. 

The  Borana  have  adopted  a  simple  but  distinctive 
dress.  The  men  wear  a  loose  kind  of  trouser  made 
of  white  cotton,  cut  off  above  the  knee,  while  the 
upper  part  of  the  body  is  covered  by  a  half  "  tobe  " 
of  Americani.  This  may  be  replaced  when  resting 
in  their  village  by  a  single  cloth  8  yards  in  length, 
draped  loosely  round  them.  Men  of  importance  and 
heads  of  families  sometimes  wear  in  addition  a  turban 
made  of  similar  material. 

The  Borana  are  exceedingly  fond  of  bracelets, 
necklaces  and  similar  ornaments.  Bracelets  are 
simple  circular  rings,  round  or  triangular  in  section, 
made  of  brass  or  white  metal.  One  man  possessed 
one  of  ivory,  carved  out  from  an  elephant's  tusk, 

230 


BORANA  ORNAMENTS 

about  half  an  inch  in  thickness,  but  this  type  does 
not  appear  to  be  common.  Necklaces  vary  greatly 
in  length  and  material.  Very  popular  are  those  com- 
posed of  cowrie  shells,  strung  on  a  piece  of  fibre  or 
gut,  often  30  inches  in  length,  which  is  worn  round 
the  neck  or  even  carried  in  the  hand.  Another  form, 
which  is  highly  valued,  consists  of  a  series  of  white 
metal  cubes,  alternating  with  crimson  or  yellow  glass 
beads,  strung  on  the  hairs  taken  from  the  tail  of  an 
elephant  or  giraffe.  Rings  cut  from  the  horn  of  a 
rhinoceros  are  also  regarded  with  great  favour.  All 
these  ornaments,  and  many  others  of  a  similar  nature, 
are  worn  by  both  men  and  women.  The  dress  of  the 
latter  is  slightly  more  elaborate  than  that  used  by 
the  men.  I  am  not  quite  clear  as  to  the  shape  and 
number  of  garments,  but  they  appear  to  wear  a  short 
skirt  or  kilt  of  white  cotton,  and  a  loose  bodice  of 
the  same  material  draped  over  the  right  shoulder  and 
under  the  left  arm.  In  cold  weather  a  long  cloth  is 
worn  like  a  cape,  covering  the  figure  from  head  to 
foot.  The  ends  of  the  cloth  are  worked  loose  by 
hand,  and  twisted  into  a  kind  of  fringe.  Being, 
unlike  the  Somali,  indescribably  filthy  in  their 
personal  habits,  the  white  cotton  they  wear  soon 
becomes  a  dirty  and  unpleasing  brown. 

The  weapons  carried  by  the  men  consist  of  a 
spear,  8  or  9  feet  long,  with  a  broad-leafed  iron  blade, 
with  high  median  ridge,  but  blunt  and  clumsily 
forged,  and  also  of  a  bow  and  arrows  in  a  quiver,  and 
a  short  knife.  The  general  appearance  of  the  bow 
and  quiver  is  very  similar  to  that  used  by  the  Somali 
hunter,  except  that  the  latter  has  no  cap.  Attached 
to  the  quiver  is  a  bag  of  beautifully  dressed  goatskin 
(8  inches  long  by  6  inches  deep),  deep  red  in  colour 

231 


BORANA  WEAPONS 


owing  to  the  bark  they  employ  for  tanning,  and  con- 
taining a  miscellaneous  collection  of  small  articles.  In 
the  one  I  examined  were  the  following  objects  : — 

1.  Tip  of  an  ox-horn,  hollowed  out  and  containing  a  small 

piece  of  coloured  trading  cloth — probably  a  charm. 

2.  A  small  lump  of  hard  black  gum,  said  to  be  poison  for 

their  arrows,  obtained  at  Moyale. 

3.  A  few  feathers. 

4.  Some  fibre  and  gut  for  mending  bow  or  arrow. 

5.  Two  long  rusty  nails. 

6.  Two  fire-sticks  (attached  outside). 

The  quiver  itself  was  a  hollow  wooden  tube,  ex- 
panding symmetrically  from  the  middle  to  either  end, 
with  a  cap  of  ox-hide  shrunk  on  to  one  extremity,  and 
impressed  with  a  simple  linear  pattern.  The  middle 
was  wrapped  round  with  a  broad  piece  of  tanned 
goatskin  fastened  securely  by  two  thongs.  To  it 
was  attached  a  band  for  carrying,  and  a  rough  sheath 
for  a  slender  knife.  In  the  quiver  were  two  un- 
finished and  four  finished  arrows  complete  with  loose 
iron  heads  thickly  smeared  with  poison.  I  did  not 
see  any  shields.  The  Borana  use  their  weak  bow 
with  great  skill ;  moreover,  they  keep  innumerable 
native  dogs  for  hunting  purposes,  and  it  is  remarkable 
how  quickly  these  animals  will  bring  an  antelope 
down  or  hold  a  large  beast  at  bay  until  their  masters 
can  dispatch  it. 

Their  household  utensils  are  few  in  number,  and 
in  many  respects  resemble  those  used  by  the  Somali. 
One  of  the  most  striking  is  the  "han."  or  water 
vessel,  which  is  ovoid  in  shape,  and  constructed  of 
tightly  woven  fibre  with  a  deep  and  neatly  fitting  cap. 
The  inside  is  well  smoked,  and  the  outside  is  usually 
decorated  with  rows  of  cowrie  shells  strung  on  fibre. 

232 


=  a 

&  .a  5 

o  a3 

«  J2*S 

^  -ai 


c5 


»H  is 


*  § « 

,0   u  « 

««  ~H 

o  >, 

4-.-° 

3  u.2 
o  > 
oj  -a  § 


j.)  rt 
j  E  o 


4}  *j   U  C 
rt  tJ  « 

^  >•§! 

<U  P,  ™ 


HOUSEHOLD  UTENSILS 

It  is  carried  in  an  elaborate  network  of  leather 
thongs.  Another  interesting  utensil  is  the  milk-pail, 
made  from  a  single  piece  of  giraffe  skin  cleverly  sewn 
together  with  a  loop  of  the  same  leather  on  one  side. 
This  is  also  thoroughly  well  smoked  and  greased, 
so  that  it  becomes  quite  watertight,  and  will  last  a 
lifetime.  When  full  to  the  brim,  it  holds  seven  pints 
of  milk,  all  but  a  few  ounces.  Their  "herios"  or 
camel  mats  compare  unfavourably  with  those  made 
by  the  Somali  in  quality,  as  also  do  their  knives, 
spears  and  sandals  and  the  forked  stick  they  use  for 
making  or  pulling  apart  the  zariba.  They  do  not 
appear  to  be  in  the  habit  of  wearing  hair  combs,  and 
I  did  not  see  any  ghee  spoons.  They  often  carry 
about  with  them,  when  near  their  village,  a  piece  of 
undressed  ox-hide  (which  is  therefore  stiff  and  hard), 
and  this  they  use  as  a  kind  of  screen  or  shelter  from 
the  wind,  which  is  often  cold  and  damp  at  night.  I 
have  never  observed  this  among  the  Somali. 

The  Borana  are  amongst  the  richest  cattle-owners 
in  British  East  Africa,  being  second  only  to  the 
Masai ;  they  possess  a  few  camels  and  donkeys,  upon 
which  they  pack  their  belongings  when  moving  from 
one  locality  to  another.  In  addition,  they  own  vast 
flocks  of  fat-rumped  sheep  and  large  herds  of  goats. 
But  they  will  rarely  kill  any  of  their  stock  for  food, 
their  principal  diet  being  milk.  I  was  told  by  my 
headman  that  when  one  of  their  cattle  is  ill  and  likely 
to  die,  they  will  cut  its  throat  and  eagerly  drink  the 
blood  as  it  pours  forth,  but  as  I  never  saw  it  done  I 
cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this  statement.  They 
are,  however,  extremely  fond  of  "buni  "  when  they  can 
get  it,  which  is  seldom  :  they  told  me  that  there  was 
a  certain  berry  that  grew  in  abundance  in  the  Moyale 

233 


AGRICULTURE  AND  TRADING 


district,  which,  when  cooked  in  the  same  way  as  coffee, 
gives  them  almost  equal  satisfaction. 

Of  labour,  then,  around  a  Borana  boma  there  is 
but  little — no  tilling  of  the  soil,  no  searching  for  roots 
or  wild  plants  and  seldom  any  cooking.  While  the 
men  spend  their  days  in  hunting  or  idling,  the  women 
keep  guard  over  the  cattle  when  they  are  grazing, 
and  the  boys  and  girls  tend  the  sheep  and  goats. 
From  what  I  could  gather,  I  am  of  opinion  that  these 
Tufi  Borana  are  an  inferior  race  to,  or  perhaps  even 
an  outcast  tribe  of,  the  true  Borana,  who  inhabit 
southern  Abyssinia.  I  am  unable  to  speak  with 
authority  on  the  subject,  as  I  have  not  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  studying  the  latter,  but  such  at  least  is  my 
impression.  When  the  habits  and  customs  of  both 
these  people  have  been  further  investigated  by  future 
travellers,  it  will  be  of  extreme  interest  to  learn  their 
relationship  and  to  know  more  of  their  primitive 
customs,  which  are  fast  dying  out  before  the  spread 
of  Islam. 

I  spent  two  days  at  this  village,  and  during  the 
whole  of  that  time  trading  went  on  continually.  As 
a  result  of  this  incessant  bargaining,  I  found  myself 
the  possessor  of  fifteen  sheep,  which  would  provide 
my  men  with  food,  I  hoped,  until  I  reached  Archer's 
Post  or  even  Meru.  Had  I  had  a  few  more  of  the 
white  metal  bracelets  and  cubes,  I  should  have  done 
better ;  for  so  anxious  were  they  to  obtain  them,  that 
for  250  cubes  (value  at  the  coast  about  50  cents), 
they  would  give  me  a  nice  fat  sheep,  and  my  little 
stock  of  2000  went  almost  immediately.  The  glass 
beads  I  had  were  not  regarded  with  much  favour,  a 
new  shade  having  become  all  the  fashion,  but  cowrie 
shells  and  Americani  sold  fairly  steadily,  and  I  was 

234 


AMUSEMENT  AND  SURPRISE 


able  to  buy  seven  more  sheep  and  various  objects  of 
ethnological  interest  with  them. 

Before  I  left  I  gave  the  chief  men  presents,  con- 
sisting of  tobacco  and  "buni,"  with  which  they  were 
delighted,  and  the  women  perfume,  beads  and  shells. 
The  whole  village  collected  outside  my  tent  in  the 
best  of  humour,  and  roars  of  laughter  broke  out  at  the 
slightest  provocation.  Great  amusement  was  caused 
by  my  camera,  and  especially  by  my  clothes,  which 
must  have  seemed  to  them  particularly  absurd  in  com- 
parison with  their  loose,  flowing  garments.  They 
crowded  round  me  when  I  showed  them  a  book  con- 
taining photographs  of  elephants,  giraffes  and  other 
game  with  which  they  were  familiar,  and  as  they 
recognised  each  animal  as  I  turned  the  pages,  they 
pointed  excitedly  at  it  with  their  fingers,  and  broke 
out  into  cries  of  astonishment  and  surprise.  It  was 
an  animated  and  entertaining  scene,  but  there  was 
nothing  vulgar  in  their  curiosity,  only  a  naive  interest 
and  a  childlike  simplicity  which  completely  disarms 
criticism.  There  is  always  much  that  is  sym- 
pathetic, much  that  is  attractive  in  the  primitive 
savages  who  people  the  remote  corners  of  the  earth. 
But  how  quickly  these  qualities  disappear  on  the 
advent  of  the  missionary  and  the  civilisation  he  brings 
with  him  ! 

I  dismissed  them  at  last,  having  made  arrange- 
ments with  the  headman  of  the  village  to  provide  a 
guide  who  was  to  lead  me  as  far  as  Marti  Plateau  ; 
and  I  went  to  bed  that  nicrht  relieved  of  a  °reat 

o  o 

anxiety  with  regard  to  the  food  supply  for  my  men. 
For  now,  even  if  I  did  not  meet  any  other  natives, 
I  should  have  sufficient  for  myself  and  my  followers 
until  I  reached  the  outskirts  of  civilisation. 

235 


CHAPTER  XXI 


MARTI  PLATEAU 

It  was  still  pitch  dark  as  the  last  camel  was  loaded, 
and  the  long  string  of  patient  animals  moved  slowly 
away  from  the  warm  light  of  the  camp  fires  into  the 
night  beyond.  Countless  stars  shone  from  a  clear 
sky,  and  the  Southern  Cross  was  clearly  visible  above 
the  horizon.  The  guide  led  the  way  at  a  smart  pace 
through  the  open  bush,  for  a  chilly  wind  was  blowing 
from  the  north  over  the  river,  and  the  dampness 
of  the  atmosphere  made  it  difficult  to  keep  warm. 
When  dawn  broke,  and  the  surrounding  country  took 
shape,  I  found  myself  on  an  open  plain  bounded  on 
the  right-hand  side  by  a  tall  line  of  trees  that  grew 
along  the  river  bank  ;  it  was  covered  with  a  luxurious 
growth  of  grass  and  small  broad-leaved  plants,  bearing 
a  quantity  of  yellow  flowers.  There  was  but  little 
bush,  and  the  ground  seemed  very  rich  and  even  more 
fertile  than  at  Melka  Gela.  I  was  told  that  during 
the  rains  it  becomes  somewhat  swampy,  and  impass- 
able for  camels,  who  are  helpless  in  the  mud. 

As  the  light  grew  stronger,  it  revealed  in  the 
distance  the  striking  outlines  of  Marti  Plateau,  whose 
sides  rose  precipitously  from  the  bush  that  surrounded 
its  base  up  to  its  broad  and  perfectly  level  summit. 
Its  dark  colour,  due  to  the  volcanic  rock  of  which  it 
is  composed,  formed  a  sombre  background  against 
which  the  vivid  greens  of  the  bush  and  the  grove  of 

236 


A  RELUCTANT  GUIDE 


dom  palms  showed  very  brilliantly.  While  I  was 
looking  round  with  my  glasses,  I  caught  sight  of  a 
half-grown  rhinoceros  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  ; 
he  had,  however,  got  our  wind,  and  after  staring 
fixedly  in  our  direction  for  some  seconds,  he  turned 
away,  and  breaking  into  a  fast  trot,  he  soon  dis- 
appeared. My  guide  now  declared  that  he  did  not 
wish  to  proceed  any  farther.  He  said  that  since 
Marti  was  in  sight  we  did  not  need  a  guide,  but,  as  I 
wished  to  explore  the  plateau  and  should  be  therefore 
obliged  to  cross  the  river,  I  insisted  that  he  should 
keep  to  the  promise  he  made  the  night  before,  and 
accompany  me  at  any  rate  to  a  ford  I  had  been  told 
of  some  three  miles  to  the  east  of  the  mountain.  He 
seemed  very  ill  at  ease,  but  at  length  agreed  to  do  so 
in  return  for  a  considerable  sum  in  cloth  and  tobacco, 
which  I  naturally  refused  to  give  him  until  our 
arrival. 

We  went  on  again  after  this  discussion,  but  as  we 
were  passing  through  a  narrow  belt  of  bush  the  guide 
suddenly  bolted  in  the  direction  of  the  river.  Though 
much  annoyed  I  decided  not  to  send  any  one  after  him, 
as  I  did  not  wish  to  waste  any  more  time  than  I  could 
help,  for  Marti  lay  a  good  twelve  miles  ahead.  I  have 
no  idea  why  he  was  so  anxious  to  return — so  anxious 
indeed  that  he  was  willing  to  forfeit  what  must  have 
appeared  to  him  a  large  sum  of  money,  which  he 
would  have  earned  had  he  accompanied  me  but  a 
few  miles  farther.  It  is  often  impossible  to  follow  the 
working  of  a  native's  mind  :  his  life  is  so  bound  up 
with  convention  and  superstition,  that  his  actions  are 
often  incomprehensible  to  us. 

However,  I  went  on  again,  leading  the  way  over 
the  soft  brown  earth  due  west  towards  Marti.  Rain 

237 


A  MONOTONOUS  MARCH 


must  have  fallen  a  short  time  before,  for  the  ground 
was  slippery  with  mud  ;  the  sun  poured  down,  the 
wind  had  dropped  and  the  heat  became  terribly- 
oppressive.  Moreover,  I  was  now  approaching  the 
river  again  and  had  entered  a  patch  of  dense  bush, 
which  not  only  rendered  progress  slow  and  exhausting, 
but  deprived  the  scene  of  its  previous  interest,  leaving 
it  monotonous  and  wearisome  beyond  expression. 
Hour  followed  hour  without  any  incident  to  enliven 
the  march  ;  I  ate  a  hurried  lunch  of  bread  and  meat, 
which  I  had  in  my  saddle-bags,  without  stopping  to 
rest,  and  I  began  to  despair  of  ever  reaching  my 
destination,  when  suddenly  I  emerged  from  the  bush 
into  a  little  plain,  which  lay  in  a  bend  of  the  river, 
and  beyond  the  tall  fringe  of  dom  palms  the  dark 
mass  of  Marti  Plateau  loomed  impressive  and  close 
at  hand. 

My  tent  was  soon  pitched,  and  while  everything 
was  being  put  in  order  I  walked  down  to  the  river. 
As  I  crossed  the  plain  I  noticed  some  old  buffalo 
spoor,  and  a  small  herd  of  waterbuck  feeding  on  its 
farther  edge,  but  I  had  plenty  of  meat,  so  I  did  not 
disturb  them.  As  soon  as  I  entered  the  grove  of 
palms  I  found  a  steep  bank  in  front  of  me,  down 
which  I  climbed.  After  the  brilliant  sunlight  outside, 
it  seemed  quite  dark  and  deliciously  cool  within,  but 
as  my  eyes  grew  accustomed  to  the  gloom,  I  was 
struck  with  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  The  tall  smooth 
trunks  of  the  dom  palms  rose  in  serried  ranks,  crowned 
with  tufts  of  feathery  branches  which  grew  in  such 
profusion  that  they  enclosed  the  undergrowth  below 
in  perpetual  shade.  Near  the  river  bank  a  few 
mimosas  and  some  small  shrubs  filled  in  the  spaces 
between  the  palms,  and  through  their  delicate  foliage 

238 


THE  UASO  NYIRO— BABOONS 


appeared  the  rich  brown  of  the  slowly  moving  water 
below,  and  above  the  pale  blue  of  the  tropical  sky. 
The  incessant  hum  of  mosquitoes  and  other  insects 
sounded  not  unpleasantly,  and  only  seemed  to  intensify 
the  drowsy  stillness  of  that  enchanting  spot.  Coming 
as  it  did  after  months  of  travel  through  an  arid  and 
jungle-covered  country,  across  desert  plain  and  un- 
healthy swamp  under  a  burning  sun,  this  scene  of 
beauty  and  of  peace  made  a  deep  impression  on  me, 
and  I  was  loth  to  leave  it.  At  length,  however,  I 
made  my  way  alone  down  to  the  edge  of  the  river, 
and  there  lay  down  in  comfort  and  enjoyed  a  pleasant 
hour  of  rest  after  the  hard  march  we  had  accomplished 
that  morning. 

The  Uaso  Nyiro,  which  is  about  150  feet  broad  at 
this  point,  flowed  calmly  and  slowly  between  low 
banks.  The  deep  mud-coloured  water  showed  scarcely 
a  ripple  on  its  surface,  except  where  a  few  tiny  sand- 
bars and  patches  of  reeds  broke  the  smooth  monotony 
of  its  course. 

I  had  fallen  almost  asleep,  soothed  by  the  silence 
and  peace  of  the  surrounding  scene,  when  I  was 
startled  by  a  loud  chattering  and  barking  a  few  yards 
up-stream.  I  got  up  quietly,  and  on  peering  through 
the  bushes  caught  sight  of  a  troop  of  baboons  making 
their  way  down  to  the  water's  edge.  They  had  been 
jumping  from  tree-top  to  tree-top,  but  now  had  come 
down  and  were  walking  through  the  undergrowth, 
led  by  an  old  male.  Some  were  playing  or  quarrelling, 
others  searching  for  food,  but  all  were  heading  for  the 
river.  The  little  wind  there  was  was  blowing  up 
towards  them,  so  they  soon  became  aware  of  my 
presence.  Immediately  a  babel  of  alarmed  cries 
broke  out,  and  they  leaped  back  into  the  bush  and 

239 


HAWEYAH  HUNTERS 


up  into  the  branches.  But  recovering  from  their 
momentary  panic,  they  climbed  down  as  low  as  they 
dared,  and  crowding  together,  they  growled  and 
barked  at  me  ;  each  time  I  approached  they  dis- 
appeared into  the  topmost  branches  or  hurled  them- 
selves with  extraordinary  recklessness  and  skill  from 
tree  to  tree,  but  as  soon  as  they  saw  I  was  not 
following  them  their  curiosity  got  the  better  of  their 
fear,  and  they  returned,  chattering  and  screaming, 
to  growl  defiance  at  the  intruder.  They  looked  for- 
midable enough,  especially  the  old  males  with  their 
enormous  teeth  bared  in  impotent  fury,  but  at  last 
they  made  off,  jumping  from  tree-top  to  tree-top  until 
their  frightened  chattering  died  away  in  the  distance, 
and  silence  fell  once  more  upon  the  bush. 

It  was  time  too  that  I  should  return  to  camp,  and 
so,  regretfully,  I  turned  my  back  on  the  river,  and 
walked  slowly  through  the  grove  of  dom  palms  out 
into  the  little  plain.  The  shadows  were  lengthening 
as  I  reached  my  tent,  and  the  sun  was  sinking  below 
Marti,  softening  its  outline  with  its  golden  light  and 
tinging  with  opalescent  hues  the  low-lying  mist  that 
hung  above  the  river.  While  I  was  having  supper, 
my  headman  came  up  to  inform  me  that  the  syces,  who 
had  been  on  guard  over  the  camels,  had  met  and 
brought  into  camp  two  Haweyah  hunters.  I  told  him 
to  bring  them  before  me,  as  I  thought  that  they  might 
be  very  useful  as  guides  if  I  could  persuade  them  to 
go  with  me.  They  appeared  at  length — one  well  on 
in  years,  the  other  about  thirty — and  stood  in  front  of 
my  table  in  the  dim  circle  of  light  cast  by  my  lamp. 

They  seemed  very  nervous  and  ill  at  ease,  and 
glanced  first  at  the  uniform  of  my  askaris  and  then 
at  me  with  evident  apprehension.    So  I  ordered  "buni" 

240 


THE  HAWEYAH 


to  be  prepared  for  them,  and  while  waiting  for  it  I 
began  questioning  them  about  the  country  and  so  on. 
By  their  answers  I  soon  discovered  the  cause  of  their 
uneasiness.  They  took  me  for  the  Game  Ranger,  and 
were  afraid  I  was  going  to  punish  them,  although  they 
declared  they  had  not  killed  anything  for  months. 
They  were  obviously  very  much  relieved  when  they 
found  out  their  mistake,  and  agreed  willingly  enough 
to  act  as  my  guides  during  the  next  few  days,  although 
they  said  they  had  never  worked  for  a  white  man  before. 
They  refused  to  name  any  price  for  their  services, 
preferring  to  trust  to  my  generosity  when  we  parted. 
After  they  had  drunk  the  "buni,"  I  had  a  most  in- 
teresting talk  with  them  through  my  interpreter. 

The  Haweyah,  though  not  true  Somali,  resemble 
them  very  closely,  and  it  would  be  difficult  for  a 
stranger  to  detect  any  difference.  They  are  inhabitants 
of  the  Benadir  coast,  and  the  northern  parts  of  the 
interior  of  Italian  Somaliland.  It  wTas  to  them  that 
Ismail  Juberti,  the  ancestor  of  the  Somali,  first  applied 
for  shelter  and  protection,  according  to  native  accounts, 
when  he  was  wrecked  along  their  inhospitable  coast, 
and,  his  requests  being  refused,  he  was  obliged  to 
wander  southwards  until  he  met  the  Dirr,  another 
tribe  inhabiting  those  regions.  This  may  partly 
account  for  the  contempt  displayed  towards  the 
Haweyah  by  the  Somali.  Many  of  them  have  been 
driven  westwards  from  the  Benadir  coast  and  have 
taken  refuge  among  the  Borana  and  the  Gabra,  but 
whatever  their  present  position  is,  it  is  almost  certain 
that  Somali  and  Haweyah  are  descended  from  a 
common  stock. 

I  questioned  them  about  the  Maanthinle,  that 
mysterious  tribe  known  by  hearsay  to  all  the  dwellers 
Q  241 


A  MYSTERIOUS  TRIBE 


in  the  Horn  of  Africa,  but  which  have  now  completely 
disappeared,  leaving  no  trace  except  their  name,  and 
a  few  cairns  of  stone.  They  told  me  there  were 
still  many  legends  concerning  them,  but  they  had 
disappeared  long  before  the  present  inhabitants  had 
entered  the  country.  They  said  that  there  were 
many  graves  and  many  pools  cut  into  the  rock,  which 
were  made  by  the  Maanthinle,  in  northern  Jubaland, 
and  that  they  thought  that  they  had  been  a  race  of 
giants.  To  my  question  as  to  what  they  imagined 
had  happened  to  them,  they  replied  that  it  was 
believed  that  these  people  had  done  evil  and  had 
ceased  to  sacrifice  to  their  god,  at  which  the  latter 
was  so  displeased  that  he  sent  a  plague  of  bees 
which  killed  some  and  drove  the  rest  out  of  the 
country. 

They  had  by  now  quite  forgotten  the  uneasiness 
they  had  shown  at  the  beginning  of  our  interview, 
and,  stimulated  perhaps  by  the  "buni,"  they  revealed 
to  me  much  that  was  interesting,  and  described  their 
daily  life  in  detail,  telling  the  story  in  their  own  way 
with  many  a  picturesque  simile  and  many  a  quaint 
but  illuminating  phrase.  The  sole  weapon  of  these 
hunters  is  a  small  bow,  shooting  arrows  of  which 
the  tips  are  covered  with  a  powerful  vegetable  poison. 
They  will  search  for  days,  perhaps  for  weeks,  until 
they  have  discovered  a  water-hole  or  salt  lick,  where 
their  quarry  comes  regularly.  Then  with  infinite 
precaution  on  some  moonlit  night  they  make  their 
way  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  trail  by  which  the 
elephant  or  rhinoceros  is  expected  to  approach  the 
water.  Crouched  under  a  bush  they  wait  in  breath- 
less silence  until  some  faint  noise,  inaudible  perhaps 
except  to  them,  is  heard  above  the  whispering  of 

242 


A  PICTURE  OF  NATIVE  LIFE 

the  trees  and  the  myriad  indefinable  sounds  that 
together  make  up  the  stillness  of  a  tropical  night. 
So  noiseless  is  his  approach  that  the  giant  form  of 
their  quarry  looms  up  almost  before  they  are  prepared 
for  him,  but  as  he  passes  by,  a  few  feet,  maybe  only 
a  few  inches,  away,  they  fire  their  arrows  into  his 
side  and  then  seem  to  melt  into  the  bush  as  if  by 
magic.  The  stricken  animal  halts  and  then,  turning, 
dashes  back,  crashing  through  the  jungle.  Gradually 
the  sounds  die  away  and  silence  once  more  reigns 
supreme.  But  dawn  rarely  fails  to  reveal  to  the 
eager  searchers  the  dead  body  of  the  animal  not  far 
away.  A  brush  shelter  is  erected  near  by,  their  few 
possessions  are  transferred  from  their  last  camping 
place,  and  here  they  will  remain  as  long  as  the  meat 
lasts.  If  they  fail  to  kill  they  are  compelled  to 
subsist  entirely  on  roots  and  berries  until  success 
again  crowns  their  efforts. 

It  is  difficult  for  us  to  realise  what  such  a  life 
means,  surrounded  as  we  are  by  all  those  things 
which  they  lack  and  which  civilisation  has  made  so 
easy  of  attainment ;  but  on  that  occasion,  helped  no 
doubt  by  the  picturesque  surroundings  in  which  the  tale 
was  told,  they  drew  such  a  vivid  picture  of  their  life, 
revealing,  unintentionally  no  doubt,  all  its  hardships, 
its  excitements,  and  its  primitive  simplicity,  that  I 
seemed  to  understand  and  appreciate  it  in  all  its 
completeness.  I  was  sorry  when  our  conversation 
ended  and  it  was  time  to  go  to  bed,  but  I  determined 
to  renew  it,  if  I  could,  on  another  occasion. 

All  the  following  day  was  spent  in  examining  and 
mapping  the  country  to  the  south  of  Marti,  ac- 
companied by  the  elder  of  the  hunters,  while  the 
other  guide  led   the  caravan  to  the  nearest  ford, 

243 


MAPPING  OUT  THE  COUNTRY 


where  camp  was  made.  This  would  enable  me  to 
reach  the  summit  of  Marti,  explore  the  plateau  and 
return  on  the  same  day.  Meanwhile  I  worked  hard, 
and  covered  a  considerable  amount  of  country.  By 
climbing  a  few  isolated  little  hills,  which  rose  some 
150  feet  above  the  plains,  I  was  able  to  sketch  in 
the  main  landmarks  on  my  plane  table,  but  it  was 
not  possible  to  fix  the  course  of  the  river  with  any 
accuracy  from  the  south,  as  it  was  hidden  by  bush 
and  palm  trees.  I  reached  camp  very  late,  and,  while 
waiting  for  supper,  shot  an  old  male  baboon  with 
enormous  canine  teeth.  It  appeared  that  a  large 
troop  had  come  down  at  midday,  but  on  seeing  my 
men  had  fled  in  alarm,  but  this  particular  baboon 
had  remained  behind,  and  had  sat  round  camp, 
always  within  100  yards  or  so,  and  had  barked  and 
roared  defiance  incessantly  all  through  the  afternoon. 
He  was  quite  the  largest  specimen  I  have  seen,  so 
I  was  glad  to  add  him  to  my  collection. 

I  was  awakened  the  next  morning  by  the  grunting 
of  a  lion,  but  by  the  time  I  was  up  and  dressed,  it 
had  ceased.  I  soon  came  upon  its  spoor  not  200 
yards  from  camp,  and  easily  followed  the  pug  marks 
for  about  a  mile,  until  I  lost  them  completely  on  a 
somewhat  stony  piece  of  ground.  As  the  river  was 
left,  the  surface  became  gradually  harder,  so  that  it 
was  useless  to  continue  the  search.  I  turned  back 
again,  and  marched  along  the  southern  bank  for 
nearly  an  hour,  when  the  guide  told  me  that  we  had 
reached  a  good  ford  where  we  could  cross  with  ease. 
So  I  turned  to  my  right  and,  passing  through  a  thick 
belt  of  bush,  entered  the  dom  palms,  following  a  little 
path  that  led  down  to  the  river's  edge.  I  was  again 
vividly  impressed  with  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  which 

244 


An  Observation  Station  ox  Marti  Plateau 

The  two  natives  were  Haweyah  hunters  who  were  my  companions  during  my  exploration  of  the 
Lorian  and  Marti  Plateau. 


CROSSING  THE  UASO  NYIRO 


resembled  that  which  I  had  so  enjoyed  two  days 
before.  The  early  morning  sun  was  casting  long 
shadows  across  the  rather  muddy  waters,  a  wonderful 
variety  of  trees  overhung  the  banks,  while  towering 
above  them  the  giant  mimosa  and  slender  dom  palms 
showed  wonderfully  green  and  delicate  against  the 
pale  blue  sky. 

Taking  off  my  boots  and  putties,  I  got  on  to  my 
mule,  and  plunged  down  the  slippery  bank  into  the 
river,  after  taking  the  precaution  of  firing  a  couple 
of  shots  into  the  water  to  scare  away  any  possible 
p  crocodiles.  The  Uaso  Nyiro,  near  Marti,  attains  its 
greatest  development,  being  just  under  200  feet  in 
breadth,  but  at  the  point  where  I  crossed  it,  it  was 
barely  two  feet  deep.  It  did  not  therefore  take  me 
long  to  reach  the  northern  bank,  up  which  I  clambered, 
and  found  myself  immediately  in  another  grove  of 
dom  palms.  Through  this  I  made  my  way,  and 
emerged  on  to  a  flat  and  muddy  plain  scarcely  a 
mile  across,  which  divides  the  river  from  the  mountain. 
Having  reached  the  foot  of  the  latter,  I  left  the  mule 
and  started  on  the  steep  climb  that  lay  before  me. 

The  sides  of  Marti  are  clothed  with  small  stunted 
trees,  and  many  varieties  of  euphorbia,  while  the 
ground  is  composed  of  loose  volcanic  rock.  Every 
step  therefore  requires  care,  for  a  fall  would  be 
attended  with  unpleasant  consequences  from  the 
thorns  and  sharp  pointed  rocks.  After  three-quarters 
of  an  hour,  however,  I  reached  the  edge  of  the  plateau, 
which  is  formed  by  a  ring  of  bare  volcanic  rock,  and 
sat  down  with  my  glasses  to  have  a  look  round.  The 
view  was  disappointing,  for  there  was  a  thick  mist  in 
spite  of  the  strong  wind  that  was  blowing,  which 
rendered  the  course  of  the  river  and  the  distant  hills 

245 


THE  MARTI  PLATEAU 

hazy  and  indistinct.  The  Uaso  Nyiro,  I  discovered, 
flows  through  a  broad,  shallow  valley  of  which  Marti 
forms  the  northern  edge,  and  which  is  bounded  on  the 
south  by  a  low  line  of  hills.  About  twenty  miles  to 
the  west  I  could  just  make  out  some  more  hills,  which, 
the  guide  informed  me,  we  should  pass  on  our  way  to 
Archer's  Post.  At  this  corner  of  the  plateau,  which 
forms  the  summit  of  the  most  earterly  spur  of  Marti, 
I  took  observations  for  local  time  and  latitude,  and 
completed  the  sketch  that  I  had  been  working  on  ;  I 
then  went  on  and  rapidly  explored  the  tableland  to 
the  north-west.  Kilima-ya-Mesa,1  as  Marti  is  called 
by  Swahili-speaking  natives,  is  the  only  mountain 
deserving  the  name  between  this  place  and  the  Indian 
Ocean,  and  forms  an  unmistakable  landmark. 

The  river  which  flows  towards  it  from  the  south- 
east, turns  east,  closely  following  its  base,  and  then, 
having  left  it  behind,  north-east.  It  is  volcanic  in 
origin  and  rises  abruptly  from  the  river  bank  to  a 
height  of  1607  feet,  or  603  above  the  surrounding 
country.  The  summit,  as  I  have  mentioned  before, 
consists  of  a  plateau  higher  on  the  eastern  edge  and 
roughly  oval  in  shape,  the  long  axis  of  which  runs  due 
east  and  west,  and  is  about  eighteen  miles  in  diameter. 
The  whole  is  covered  with  dense  scrub  a-rowina-  from 
a  rich,  soft  soil,  and  there  were  many  small  pools  of 
rain-water  hidden  away  in  the  bush.  I  noticed  the 
spoor  of  greater  and  lesser  kudu  and  rhino  while 
crossing  the  plateau,  but  saw  no  game.  It  was  late 
before  I  had  finished  my  work  and  reached  the  ford 
once  more.  The  river  was  crossed  without  incident, 
and  camp  was  safely  reached  shortly  after  dark. 

1  Table  Mountain. 


246 


CHAPTER  XXII 


THE  GAME  ANIMALS  OF  JUB ALAND 

Before  leaving  Jubaland  and  the  Lorian,  and  entering 
on  the  narrative  of  the  closing  stages  of  my  journey, 
it  would  seem  appropriate  to  give  some  account  of  the 
game  animals  to  be  found  between  the  coast  and 
Marti  plateau,  to  examine  briefly  any  differences  or 
peculiarities  that  may  distinguish  them  from  those 
found  in  other  parts  of  the  Protectorate,  to  notice  how 
far  they  are  influenced  by  climate  and  physical  condi- 
tions, and  incidentally  to  glance  at  their  distribution 
throughout  that  lar^e  area. 

If  the  dense  character  of  the  bush  that  covers  the 
greater  part  of  southern  Jubaland  and  the  lack  of 
water  are  remembered,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that 
only  those  bush-loving  animals  which  are  more  or  less 
independent  of  a  plentiful  supply  of  water,  will  be 
found  inhabiting  the  regions  where  such  conditions 
prevail.  In  addition,  on  the  open  stretches  near  the 
coast,  and  on  the  alluvial  plains  near  the  Lorian 
Swamps,  zebra,  Grant's  gazelle  and  a  few  other  of  the 
more  characteristic  plain-dwellers  will  be  seen. 

Of  the  larger  game,  buffalo,  rhinoceros  and  lion 
are  very  scarce,  but  there  is  a  small  herd  of  buffalo  in 
the  tsetse-infested  jungle  in  the  south-east  of  the 
Biskayia  district,  which  is  known  to  the  natives  under 
the  name  of  Wama  Iddu  (sandy  swamp),  and  from 
time  to  time  I  came  across  the  pug  marks  of  a  lion  in 
Joreh,  where  game  is  more  or  less  plentiful.  Leopards 

247 


LARGE  HERDS  OF  ELEPHANTS 


are  exceedingly  common  in  the  bush  near  the  coast. 
They  are,  as  any  one  who  has  hunted  them  knows, 
very  hard  to  see,  and  in  Jubaland  this  is  especially  so, 
owing  to  the  dense  undergrowth.  They  appear  to  live 
chiefly  on  dik-dik,  which  are  very  numerous  everywhere. 

Elephants  are  by  no  means  uncommon  in  certain 
districts  during  the  rainy  season.  In  Guranlagga  I 
saw  a  great  deal  of  spoor.  Some  large  herds  had 
trekked  through,  going  westward  during  the  last 
rains  ;  they  had  probably  been  disturbed  in  the  jungle 
near  the  Juba  River,  and  were  travelling  across 
country  to  the  Tana  River,  by  way  of  the  Deshek 
Wama.  In  Joreh  and  Kurde  they  are  rare,  but  in 
the  dense  tropical  forests  near  the  Arnoleh  River,  and 
throughout  the  almost  limitless  stretches  of  acacia 
scrub  and  wait-a-bit  thorn,  they  are  to  be  found  in 
considerable  numbers,  so  long  as  the  water-supply 
has  not  given  out  completely.  They  appear  to  trek 
eastwards  from  the  Lorian  and  the  Tana  when  the 
rains  begin,  and  to  return  westwards  when  they  cease. 
Judging  from  careful  observations  and  accurate  mea- 
surements of  a  considerable  number  of  footprints,  I 
am  led  to  the  belief  that  the  bodily  size  of  the  bulls 
is  slightly  smaller  than  that  of  the  average  East 
African  elephant ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that 
bodily  size  is  by  no  means  a  certain  indication  of  the 
weight  of  the  tusks.  The  tusks  are  notoriously  small 
in  the  case  of  elephants  found  near  the  coast,  but 
farther  west,  in  the  interior,  and  near  the  middle  Tana, 
they  are  much  larger. 

The  giraffe  which  inhabits  Jubaland  has  been 
regarded  as  a  distinct  species,  and  is  generally  referred 
to  as  the  Somali  or  "netted"  giraffe  (Giraffa  reticu- 
lata), although  its  colour  pattern  is  merely  an  extreme 

248 


Telephotograph  cf  some  Vultures 


These  useful  but  hideous  birds  are  the  scavengers  of  the  desert.  Nothing  escapes  their  eye, 
and  a  few  minutes  after  an  animal  has  been  killed  they  will  be  seen  circling  high  overhead,  waiting 
for  the  hunter  to  be  gone,  before  coming  down  to  eat  everything  that  is  left. 


NETTED  GIRAFFE 


development  of  that  of  the  Nubian  race  of  the 
ordinary  species.  It  is  found  as  far  north  as  Somali- 
land  and  inhabits  the  Lake  Rudolf  district  and  the 
northern  parts  of  British  East  Africa.  The  bulls 
have  a  dark  liver-coloured  coat,  divided  into  irregu- 
larly shaped,  but  generally  quadrangular  patches,  by 
a  network  of  coarse  white  lines.  On  the  head  itself 
the  marking  changes  to  round  chestnut  spots  on  a 
yellow  ground,  but  the  back  of  the  ears  and  the  lower 
part  of  the  legs  below  the  knees  are  white.  In  some 
cases  the  sides  of  the  face  are  also  white.  The  cows, 
however,  are  of  a  paler  hue,  the  general  colour  being 
more  of  a  creamy  brown.  The  centres  of  the  dark 
liver-coloured  patches  are  often  almost  black,  but  in  a 
few  animals  the  centres  are  white  or  yellowish  white. 
I  have  in  my  possession  the  skin  of  a  very  young 
Somali  giraffe  that  had  been  killed  by  a  leopard, 
which  shows  very  clearly  this  peculiarity,  the  centres 
of  the  dark  patches,  especially  round  the  withers, 
being  white  and  star-shaped.  In  young  animals  of 
both  sexes  the  colour  is  a  pale  fawn.  The  unpaired 
horn  on  the  forehead  is  moderately  developed  and 
the  two  anterior  are  very  small.  The  young  have 
dark  tufts  of  hair  where  the  horns  subsequently  grow. 
Although  somewhat  narrow,  the  ears  are  moderately 
large  ;  the  muzzle  is  broad  and  hairy  with  long  slit- 
like nostrils,  while  the  tongue  is  long  and  extensile. 
The  neck  and  withers  are  maned,  and  the  tail  is  long 
and  covered  with  coarse  black  hairs.  When  giraffes 
are  running  they  nearly  always  carry  their  tails  twisted 
up  above  their  backs,  a  habit  that  adds  to  their  some- 
what quaint  and  ungainly  appearance.  In  spite  of 
their  enormous  length  of  neck,  they  are  unable  to 
drink  without  straddling  their  front  legs  wide  apart, 

249 


HAUNTS  OF  THE  SOMALI  GIRAFFE 


and  to  see  them  satisfying  their  thirst  at  a  water-hole 
is  a  curious  sieht. 

The  Somali  giraffe  is  found  in  astonishing  numbers 
throughout  Jubaland,  for  the  character  of  the  country 
in  the  interior  is  especially  adapted  to  their  habits. 
They  prefer,  as  a  rule,  those  regions  that  are  only 
thinly  covered  with  scrub.  Occasionally,  however, 
they  may  be  found  in  very  dense  bush,  and  on  these 
occasions  it  is  astonishing  how  difficult  they  are  to  see. 
I  saw  about  280  in  all,  of  which  the  greater  number 
were  in  the  districts  of  Joreh,  Arroga  and  Rama  Gudi ; 
and  in  the  thorn  country  to  the  west  of  Marti 
Mountain  they  were  also  exceedingly  plentiful. 

Of  the  antelopes  found  in  Jubaland  there  is  none 
that  yields  a  finer  trophy  than  the  arrola,  or  Hunter's 
hartebeeste.  A  full  description  of  this  interesting 
animal  will  be  found  in  Chapter  X,  so  it  is  unnecessary 
for  me  to  refer  to  them  here  at  greater  length. 

An  almost  equal  interest  attaches  to  the  race  of 
Grant's  gazelle  inhabiting  the  coastal  region  of  Juba- 
land north  of  the  Arnoleh  River.  In  The  Game 
Animals  of  Africa,  by  Mr.  R.  Lydekker,  F.R.S.,  it 
is  stated  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  O.  Neumann  that 
Grant's  gazelle  is  not  found  within  150  miles  of  the 
sea,  its  place  there  being  taken  by  the  closely  allied 
form,  Peter's  gazelle.  I  was  therefore  much  pleased 
at  obtaining,  near  Eyladera,  a  specimen  of  Grant's 
gazelle  that  differed  in  certain  essential  points  both 
from  G.  peter  si  and  from  G.  g.  brighti.  In  size  it 
approximates  closely  to  Peter's  gazelle,  being  about 
50  lb.  lighter  than  Bright's,  while  the  horns  are  short 
and  straight  as  in  the  former.  The  white  rump  patch, 
however,  is  extremely  large,  intruding  deeply  into  the 
fawn  colour  of  the  back  and  completely  surrounding 

250 


GRANTS  GAZELLE 


the  tail,  which  is  white.  The  lower  part  of  the  rump 
patch  is  edged  with  broad  and  conspicuous  black 
markings,  while  the  dark  black  band  is  absent  both  in 
the  young  and  in  the  fully  adult,  and  the  body  colour 
is  much  paler  than  in  either  of  the  two  other  forms. 

These  points  are  important  as  showing  the  differ- 
ence between  it  and  Petersi,  in  which  the  fawn  colour 
of  the  back  extends  down  the  tail,  thus  dividing  the 
rump  patch  into  two  parts.  In  my  opinion  the  latter 
animal  is  not  found  much  further  north  than  the  Tana, 
and  does  not  extend  into  the  district  of  Biskayia.  At 
the  Lorian,  however,  Brighti  were  found  in  consider- 
able numbers,  and  I  was  able  to  obtain  three  good 
specimens  from  that  region.  In  the  following  table  I 
have  given  the  essential  characteristics  of  three  out 
of  the  eight  races  of  Grant's  gazelle  found  in  East 
Africa.  The  Petersi  were  originally  described  in 
1884  as  a  distinct  species,  but  now  it  is  generally 
regarded  merely  as  a  race  of  the  true  Grant. 

Grant's  gazelle  are  found  on  open  plains  in  deserts, 
and  on  stony  hills,  even  where  one  would  imagine 
there  was  not  enough  feed  to  keep  a  mouse  alive. 
They  appear  to  be  almost  independent  of  water,  and 
it  is  certain  that  for  months  at  a  time  the  only  moisture 
they  can  obtain  is  the  little  that  is  contained  in  the 
grasses  on  which  they  feed,  but  they  are  usually  more 
plentiful  near  a  permanent  water-supply.  They  are 
often  seen  in  company  with  Coke's  hartebeeste,  or 
topi,  and  not  infrequently  with  zebra.  They  may  be 
found  in  herds  varying  in  size  from  three  or  four  to 
twenty  and  upwards. 

Of  antelopes  in  Jubaland  the  most  important  are 
the  lesser  kudu,  the  topi,  the  oryx  beisa  and  the 
gerenuk.    The  lesser  kudu  (Strepsiceros  imberbis)  is 

251 


ANTELOPES 


quite  common  in  the  districts  of  Joreh  and  Kurde. 
It  is  found  in  fairly  dense  bush  where  there  is  a 
certain  quantity  of  aloes,  of  which  it  is  particularly 
fond.    But  they  are  by  no  means  easy  animals  to  bag, 

TABLE  SHOWING  THE  MAIN  DIFFERENCES  BETWEEN  FOUR 


RACES 

OF  GRANT'S 

GAZELLE 

No.  i. 

Granti  typica. 

No.  2. 

G.  g.  brighti. 

No.  3. 
G.  g.  Petersi. 

No.  4. 
New  Race  on  the 
Coast  of  Juba- 
land. 

Bodily  size  . 

Large 

Medium 

Small  (32") 

Small  (30") 

Flank  bands 

Faint 

Absent 

Faint 

Absent 

Body  colour 

Rich  fawn 

Paie  fawn 

Rich  fawn  with 
reddish  tints 

Very  pale  buff 

Horns. 

Lyrate,  long  and 
slender  (30^") 

Shorter  and 
straighter  than 
in  No.  1 

Almost  straight 
and  short 

Short  and 
straight,  simi- 
lar to  No.  3 

Rump  patch 

The  white  in- 
cludes practi- 
cally all  the 
tail ;  only  a 
short  spur  of 
the  fawn  ex- 
tending on  to 
its  base 

White  intrudes 
deeply  into 
fawn  of  back, 
completely 
surrounding 
tail;  dark 
band  to  this 
patch  well- 
nigh  obsolete 

Rump  patch  di- 
vided into  two 
parts  bythe  ex- 
tension of  the 
fawn  on  the 
back,  which 
continues  a- 
long  upper 
surface  of  tail 

Similar  to  No.  2, 
but  white  in- 
trudes even 
more  into 
fawn  of  back. 
Black  bands 
to  this  patch 
broad  and  well 
marked 

Tail  . 

Fawn  above, 
white  below 

White 

Fawn  above, 
white  below 

White 

as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  avoid  making  a  noise 
when  walking  through  the  jungle.  In  fact,  to  bring 
them  to  bag  often  requires  many  days  of  hard  and 
continuous  tracking. 

The  topi  (jDamaliscus  corrigum  jimela),  typically 
from  the  Juba  district,  but  ranging  as  far  south  as  the 
Sabaki  River,  appears  to  differ  from  the  true  topi,  or 

252 


TOPI  AND  ORYX 


korrigum,  by  its  browner  colour,  the  absence  of  the 
dark-eye  stripe  and  the  smaller  tuft.  It  is  of  a  dark 
reddish-brown  colour  with  a  silk-like  slate-grey  gloss  ; 
on  the  shoulders  and  thighs  there  are  blue-black 
patches,  with  a  dark  brown  glaze  on  the  face.  The 
under  parts  are  bright  chestnut  and  the  tail  tuft  black. 
They  stand  about  4  feet  at  the  shoulder  and  are  of  a 
heavy,  clumsy  build.  The  muzzle  is  broad  and  the 
skull  of  medium  length  without  the  horn  pedicle 
characteristic  of  the  true  hartebeeste.  The  horns 
are  of  a  simple  lyrate  shape,  with  their  tips  inclined 
backwards  and  inwards.  Neither  the  topi  nor  Grant's 
gazelle  are  found  in  the  interior  of  Jubaland. 

As  regards  the  oryx,  I  found  them  plentiful  near 
the  coast  and  again  near  the  Lorian  Swamp.  They 
have  been  separated  from  the  typical  oryx  beisa  of 
the  Red  Sea  littoral  and  Somaliland  on  account  of 
the  deeper  and  more  reddish  colour  of  the  upper  parts, 
and  the  presence  of  a  brownish  tinge  on  the  white  of 
the  limbs,  and  are  known  to  naturalists  under  the 
name  of  Oryx  beisa  annectans.  They  are  found 
throughout  the  northern  part  of  East  Africa,  their 
place  being  taken  near  Kilimanjaro  and  in  the  country 
south  of  the  Tana  by  an  allied  form  known  as  the 
fringed-eared  oryx  (O.  b.  callotis).  In  this  race  the 
ears,  which  are  narrow  and  pointed,  are  surmounted 
by  conspicuous  tufts  of  long  black  hairs,  while  the 
face  markings  are  of  a  deep  fawn  colour  instead  of 
black,  and  there  are  no  black  bands  on  the  front  of 
the  forelegs  below  the  knee.  The  skin  of  these 
animals  is  much  prized  by  the  natives  on  account  of 
its  extraordinary  thickness  on  the  neck  and  shoulders. 
This  peculiarity,  however,  is  confined  to  the  males, 
and  may  have  been  developed  as  a  protection  against 

253 


GERENUK  AND  DIK-DIK 


their  sharp,  spear-like  horns  when  they  are  fighting 
one  another.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  their 
Somali  name  is  "  biid"  (plural,  "biida"),  and  not,  as 
it  is  given  in  most  books,  "beid,"  or  "beida." 

Gerenuk  (Lithocranhts  walleri)  are,  with  the  dik- 
dik,  the  most  common  animals  in  Jubaland.  Wherever 
strictly  desert  conditions  prevail,  gerenuk  are  found 
in  twos  and  threes,  feeding  like  goats  on  the  leaves 
or  young  shoots  of  the  acacia  scrub,  or  wait-a-bit 
thorn.  I  have  seen  them  in  places  at  least  eighty  miles 
from  water,  and  they  are  apparently  unaffected  by 
the  sun,  as  they  may  be  observed  feeding  and  moving 
about  at  all  times  of  the  day  regardless  of  the  heat. 
They  often  associate  with  oryx  and  sometimes  with 
topi.  On  the  whole  I  did  not  find  them  shy,  and 
it  was  generally  easy  to  bag  one,  when  meat  was 
required. 

As  I  mentioned  above,  dik-dik  (Madoqua  kirkii) 
are  extremely  numerous  throughout  Jubaland,  and 
this  is  especially  the  case  in  the  sandhills  near  the 
coast.  I  was  able  to  bring  back  six  specimens  of 
these  little  animals,  and  compared  them  carefully 
with  the  type-specimens  at  the  British  Museum,  but 
though  they  all  exhibited  slight  differences  in  size  of 
skull,  there  was  no  marked  deviation  from  the  type 
of  Kirk's  dik-dik,  even  in  those  I  shot  in  the  interior 
of  Jubaland.  From  a  sporting  point  of  view  they 
are  somewhat  uninteresting,  but  the  study  of  their 
habits  and  the  sight  of  their  dainty  forms,  and  ex- 
quisite grace  of  movement,  was  a  never-failing  source 
of  pleasure  to  me.  In  all  the  larger  animals  the 
effects  of  scanty  grazing  and  the  severe  physical  con- 
ditions of  the  country  they  inhabit  are  shown  in  their 
small  bodily  size  and  horn  measurement,  and  this  is 

254 


GREVY S  ZEBRA 


especially  noticeable  in  the  topi.  I  shot  several  speci- 
mens of  the  latter,  but  although  the  length  of  horns  in 
some  cases  reached  over  19  inches,  their  basal  girth 
was  insignificant  compared  with  those  I  had  seen  from 
the  Loita  Plains  farther  west. 

The  southern  form  of  Grevy's  zebra  (E.  grevyi) 
is  met  with  throughout  the  Lorian  district  and 
northern  Jubaland,  the  stripes  being  pure  black  on 
a  white  ground.  It  would  be  interesting  to  know 
where  this  race  changes  into  the  Somaliland  Grevy's 
zebra  (E.  grevyi  berberensis),  of  which  there  is  an 
excellent  specimen  in  the  British  Museum,  whose 
stripes  are  a  deep  rich  brown  on  a  cream  ground.  I 
was  very  much  surprised  to  see  it  stated,  the  other 
day,  in  an  article  on  northern  Jubaland,  that  these 
zebra  are  generally  to  be  found  in  waterless  regions. 
This  is  the  opposite  of  what  my  observations  had  led 
me  to  believe,  and  I  think  that  the  majority  of  those 
who  have  had  the  opportunity  of  closely  observing 
its  habits  will  agree  with  me  in  saying  that  though  it 
is  sometimes  met  with  in  semi-arid  districts,  there  is 
generally  water  somewhere  near,  and  that  it  drinks, 
if  not  every  day,  at  any  rate  every  second  or  third 
day.  In  the  interior  of  southern  Jubaland,  where 
desert  conditions  attain  their  maximum  development, 
zebra  are  totally  absent,  but  on  the  Dibayu  Plain, 
and  southwards  through  Joreh,  there  are  a  certain 
number  of  a  much  smaller  species  of  zebra  closely 
akin  to  those  found  on  the  Athi  Plains  (E.  burchelli 
granti).  There  are,  however,  important  differences 
between  these  two  races,  which  I  have  attempted  to 
set  forth  in  the  following  table,  since  the  specimen  I 
obtained  appears  to  be  a  new  race,  and  its  comparison 
with  Grant's  zebra  may  therefore  be  of  interest. 

255 


VULTURINE  GUINEA-FOWL 


The  description  of  the  Grant's  zebra  was  taken 
from  a  specimen  shot  by  myself  on  the  Athi  Plains, 
on  a  former  visit  to  British  East  Africa. 


No.  i.    E.  b.  Gra?iti.  J 

New  Race  from  Jubaland. 

Stripes 

Black    stripes,  broader 
than  intervening  spaces 

Deep  black  ;  intervening 
spaces  white.  More 
numerous  than  in  No. 
i  and  narrower 

Dorsal  stripe  . 

Broad  in  the  centre,  nar- 
rowing towards  tail  and 
withers 

Very  narrow,  connected 
by  two  short  black 
patches  with  the  near- 
est obliquely  longitu- 
dinal body  stripe 

Ventral  stripe  . 

Medium 

Narrow 

Nose  stripes 

Ten 

Eleven 

Nose 

Black 

Black 

Ears 

Striped 

White,  edged  with  black 

Pasterns . 

Stripes  fused  into  black 
patch 

Fully  striped  (not  fused) 
to  hoof 

Tail 

White,       with  black 
blotches,  detached  from 
median  black  stripe 

Fully  striped.  Tail  tuft 
very  full 

Mane 

Medium,   chiefly  black. 
A  few  white  hairs  with 
black  tops 

Absent,  as  though  clipped 

Of  the  game-birds  which  I  saw,  none  is  more 
handsome  than  the  vulturine  guinea-fowl,  and  through- 
out my  journey  it  formed  the  piece  de  resistance  of  my 
daily  menu.  Scarcely  less  handsome,  and  equally 
numerous  in  the  western  part  of  Jubaland,  was  a 
species  of  francolin  (Pternistes  inf meatus).  The  head 
and  upper  part  of  the  neck  is  devoid  of  feathers.  The 
bare  skin  of  face  and  throat  is  of  a  brilliant  red, 

256 


A  WARNING 


abruptly  changing  to  yellow  on  the  neck.  This 
colouring  in  life  is  very  striking  and  beautiful,  but  in 
the  dry  skin  it  fades  into  a  uniform  dull  yellow,  and 
gives  no  idea  of  the  gradation  of  the  rich  red  of  the 
upper  portion  into  the  clear  lemon  yellow  of  the  lower 
parts  of  the  neck.  The  harsh  chattering  cry  of  the 
francolin  is  most  characteristic,  and  cannot  be  mis- 
taken, and  it  soon  becomes  one  of  the  most  familiar 
sounds  to  the  traveller  in  Jubaland.  Of  other  birds 
I  obtained  specimens  of  ducks,  teal,  pigeons,  doves, 
spurfowl,  egret,  marabou,  hornbill  [Lophoceros  medi- 
anus),  and  many  others,  too  numerous  to  mention 
here. 

In  conclusion,  let  me  add  one  word  of  warning. 
Jubaland  is  no  country  for  the  sportsman  who  wants 
comfort  with  his  shooting  and  measures  his  success  by 
the  number  of  trophies  he  secures.  For  him  there 
are  the  Highlands  of  East  Africa,  where  every  luxury 
will  be  provided  for  him,  and  where  hundreds  of  heads 
can  still  be  got  without  much  more  risk  or  trouble 
than  a  walk  down  Piccadilly  would  entail.  But  in 
Jubaland  a  knowledge  of  spoor  and  tracking  is 
essential  to  success.  Many  of  the  animals  are 
extremely  rare,  and  worth  dozens  of  the  common 
animals  found  on  the  plains.  Every  trophy  obtained 
means  hours,  probably  days,  of  hard  work  through  the 
most  difficult  country,  where  heat,  thirst  and  fatigue 
are  experienced  daily,  and  fever  and  dysentery  are 
a  continual  menace.  The  sportsman's  success  will, 
therefore,  be  in  proportion  to  his  knowledge  of  bush- 
craft,  his  energy  and  his  skill  in  hunting ;  and  every 
trophy,  besides  being  a  valuable  addition  to  any  col- 
lection, may  be  regarded  with  legitimate  pride  as  a 
token  of  difficulties  overcome  and  dangers  surmounted. 
r  257 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


THE  UASO  NYIRO 

Had  circumstances  permitted,  I  should  like  to  have 
spent  a  much  longer  time  in  exploring  Marti  and  the 
surrounding  country,  but  it  was  essential  that  I  should 
proceed  without  delay,  for,  should  game  be  scarce, 
starvation  both  for  my  men  and  myself  would  stare 
me  in  the  face.  Meru,  the  nearest  food  supply,  was 
nearly  150  miles  away,  and  I  had  no  provisions  left 
except  the  sheep  I  had  bought  from  the  Borana,  a 
little  tea,  sugar  and  a  few  pounds  of  flour  full  of 
weevils.  It  was  therefore  imperative  that  I  should 
waste  no  time,  and  so  I  turned  my  back  on  Marti,  not 
without  regret,  and  marched  westwards,  following  the 
southern  bank  of  the  Uaso  Nyiro.  Although  my  men 
were  aware  of  the  shortage  of  our  food  supply,  they 
showed  no  anxiety,  and  would  have  been  perfectly 
willing  to  remain  near  Marti  for  a  week  or  more,  so 
implicit  is  the  trust  shown  by  natives  in  the  foresight 
and  wisdom  of  their  white  masters. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Uaso  Nyiro  dom  palms  and 
a  few  mimosas  form  a  narrow  but  picturesque  belt  of 
tropical  vegetation.  Within  a  mile  of  the  river  they 
disappear,  giving  place  to  a  dense  and  almost  impene- 
trable tangle  of  bush  and  tall  grass,  which  in  turn 
gradually  changes  into  more  open  country  as  the  Uaso 
Nyiro  is  left  behind.  It  was  across  the  latter  that  I 
sent  my  camels,  having  arranged  to  meet  near  some 

25S 


A  FIGHT— RHINOCEROS 

small  hills  known  to  both  guides,  while  I  entered  the 
jungle  on  foot  in  search  of  buffalo  or  rhinoceros.  I 
had  not  gone  very  far  when  I  saw  two  gazelle  fighting  ; 
they  would  run  and  butt  each  other,  and  then  with 
horns  interlocked  would  push  their  hardest  in  strenuous 
endeavour  to  overthrow  their  adversary.  So  pre- 
occupied were  they  that  they  allowed  me  to  approach 
within  30  yards,  when,  having  apparently  heard  me, 
they  broke  apart,  turned  round  and  stared  fixedly  in 
my  direction.  As  I  needed  meat,  I  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity and  fired,  killing  the  larger  of  the  two.  All  the 
meat  was  sent  back  to  the  camels,  which  were  not  far 
off,  while  I  went  northwards  into  the  bush,  which  had 
now  become  extremely  dense. 

In  all  directions  it  was  crossed  by  buffalo  and 
rhinoceros  paths,  but  there  was  little  fresh  spoor  of  the 
latter  and  none  of  the  former.  The  guide  led  the  way 
with  his  bow  and  arrow  in  readiness,  while  I  followed, 
holding  my  '450  Express  rifle.  The  grass  met  high 
over  our  heads,  forming,  as  it  were,  a  tunnel,  and 
down  this  we  crept  along  the  game  trail  which  twisted 
and  turned  as  it  approached  the  river.  At  length  the 
grass  gave  place  to  dense  bush  and  acacia  trees,  and 
at  the  bottom  of  a  bank  we  came  upon  a  small  and 
shallow  pool  where  some  rhinoceros  had  just  been 
wallowing.  For  on  the  trees  that  surrounded  it  fresh 
mud  was  still  clinging  where  they  had  rubbed  them- 
selves after  their  bath.  On  the  plains  or  in  open,  park- 
like country,  rhinoceros  are  neither  very  dangerous  nor 
difficult  to  bag,  but  in  the  bush  he  becomes  a  truly 
formidable  antagonist,  for  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
detect  him  when  he  is  lying  down.  Then  circum- 
stances are  much  more  in  his  favour,  for,  owing  to  his 
acute  senses  of  hearing  and  of  smell,  he  has  every 

259 


A  NEED  FOR  CAUTION 


chance  of  locating  his  adversary  long  before  he  himself 
has  been  seen.  Being  subject  to  fits  of  unreasoning 
rage,  he  will  often  charge  the  hunter  blindly  when 
disturbed,  either  from  fear,  pure  viciousness,  or  in  a 
wild  attempt  to  escape.  On  such  occasions  there  is 
only  time  for  a  single  shot,  and  unless  this  is  well 
placed,  the  rhinoceros  is  more  likely  to  bag  the  hunter 
than  to  be  bagged  himself. 

Before  setting  out  on  the  spoor,  the  guide,  in  order 
to  encourage  us,  said  that  he  and  his  companion  had 
tried  to  enter  that  patch  of  bush  some  two  months 
previously,  but  having  been  charged  twice  by 
rhinoceros  and  three  times  by  buffalo  they  had  had 
to  retire !  With  redoubled  caution  I  went  on,  but 
the  wind  was  very  fickle,  and  I  was  afraid  it  would 
betray  our  presence  before  I  could  get  a  shot.  Nor 
was  I  mistaken,  for  very  soon  there  was  a  tremendous 
commotion  in  the  bush  ahead,  and  out  dashed  two 
rhinoceros,  followed  by  a  small  calf.  They  stood  for 
a  moment  peering,  first  this  way  and  then  that,  and 
I  was  able  to  get  a  good  view  of  them.  None  carried 
long  horns,  so  I  decided  not  to  shoot  unless  they 
charged.  Suddenly  they  dashed  off,  emitting  loud 
snorts,  and  carrying  their  tails  high  in  the  air,  looking 
like  nothing  so  much  as  huge  pigs.  At  the  same 
moment,  just  as  they  were  disappearing  in  the  bush, 
a  gun  went  off  close  to  my  head  ;  turning  round,  I 
saw  that  my  interpreter,  Hassan,  had  pulled  the  trigger 
of  his  gun  by  mistake  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment. 
I  was  naturally  much  annoyed,  and  threatened  to 
take  his  rifle  from  him,  as  it  was  quite  enough  to 
keep  a  look-out  in  front  without  having  to  think  of 
being-  shot  from  behind ! 

Nothing  further  was  seen  for  a  long  time.  We 

260 


A  RHINO  BATHING-PLACE 


marched  for  hours  through  the  bush,  and  then  beneath 
the  dom  palms,  until  I  suddenly  came  upon  another 
rhino  bathing-place,  but  the  appearance  of  the  tracks 
proved  clearly  that  the  pool  had  not  been  visited  for 
several  days.  My  guide  pointed  out,  near  by,  a  tiny 
little  hiding-place  he  had  built,  and  he  told  me  that 
his  companion  and  himself  had  shot  a  rhinoceros 
there  not  very  long  before  on  its  way  down  to  drink  ; 
in  order  to  prove  his  words,  he  took  me  some  500 
yards  down  the  game  trail,  and  there,  sure  enough,  I 
saw  its  remains,  the  white  bones  cleaned  and  bleached, 
showing  up  in  striking  contrast  to  the  gloom  of  the 
palm-grove.  Amid  the  quiet  and  lovely  surroundings 
in  which  they  lay,  they  were  a  harsh  reminder  of  the 
tragedy,  for  ever  lurking  in  the  shadow  of  the  bush, 
that  threatens  the  lives  of  all  wild  animals — tragedies 
so  quickly  consummated  and  as  quickly  forgotten. 

The  camp,  whither  the  camels  were  going,  was  still 
a  long  way  on,  so  I  did  not  rest  here,  but  marched  on 
again  through  the  dense  undergrowth.  It  was  now 
oppressively  hot ;  no  breath  of  air  stirred  below, 
although  above  I  could  see  the  tops  of  the  palm  trees 
swaying  in  the  wind.  We  were  all  wet  to  the  waist 
from  the  tall  grass;  hidden  holes  in  the  ground  and 
concealed  dead  branches  made  walking  a  slow  and 
trying  business.  A  tremendous  crashing,  and  the 
sound  of  flying  hoofs  came  with  startling  suddenness 
to  break  the  silence,  as  a  herd  of  waterbuck  rose  at 
our  very  feet,  and  galloped  off  through  the  bush  ;  I 
saw  no  more  rhino,  and  no  buffalo,  nor  any  fresh 
tracks  of  either,  but  as  I  emerged  again  into  more 
open  country  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  small  herd  of 
impalla,  already  in  full  flight,  bounding  over  the 
bushes  with  astonishing  grace  and  facility.  These 

261 


IMPALLA— A  TIRING  MARCH 


beautiful  antelopes  are  always  a  joy  to  watch,  with 
their  foxy  red  coat,  white  throat,  and  long  lyrate 
horns,  and  they  form  a  very  desirable  trophy.  Along 
the  Uaso  Nyiro,  especially  along  its  upper  reaches 
and  between  it  and  Ngabotok,  the  horns  of  the 
impalla  attain  a  much  greater  length  than  they  do 
elsewhere.  I  saw  two  magnificent  specimens  in 
Nairobi,  both  well  over  30  inches,  that  had  been  shot 
by  an  officer  in  the  K.A.R.  near  Ngabotok,  but  near 
the  Tana  River  they  are  much  smaller,  and  I  have 
never  seen  any  in  that  locality  that  could  compare 
with  those  found  near  the  Uaso  Nyiro,  although,  as 
far  as  I  know,  there  is  no  reason  for  this  increase 
of  size. 

At  one  o'clock  the  guide,  in  answer  to  my  question, 
said  that  "  Camp  was  not  too  far  " — a  characteristically 
vague  expression  ;  but  it  was  not  until  after  three 
o'clock  that  I  caught  sight  of  the  camels  feeding,  and 
soon  my  tent  appeared  under  a  large  tree.  It  had 
been  a  tiring  march  of  some  ten  hours,  so  some  food 
was  very  welcome,  and  the  Grant's  gazelle  I  had 
killed  in  the  morning  provided  some  excellent  meat. 
On  the  following  day  I  had  decided,  on  the  advice  of 
my  guides,  to  cross  the  river  and  join  the  trail  that 
leads  along  the  northern  bank.  In  order  to  minimise 
the  risk  of  the  camels  being  bitten  by  tsetse  fly,  I 
determined  to  start  well  after  sunrise,  as  the  camp 
was  but  three  miles  from  the  ford. 

The  sun  had  already  dispersed  the  morning  mist 
as  the  caravan  started  out,  and  it  was  eight  o'clock  by 
the  time  we  had  crossed  the  thick  belt  of  bush  and 
palm,  and  had  reached  the  low  shelving  bank  which 
marked  the  ford.  The  river  was  very  broad,  but 
quite  shallow,  and  the  scenery  particularly  lovely  and 

262 


FORDING  THE  RIVER 


picturesque.  Although  we  were  in  the  deepest 
shadow,  the  farther  bank,  with  its  covering  of  tropical 
vegetation,  of  delicate  acacia  trees  and  feathery  dom 
palms,  was  bathed  in  the  golden  light  of  the  morning 
sun,  while  above  the  brown  and  muddy  waters  sailed 
innumerable  aquatic  birds  in  slow  and  stately  flight. 

The  crossing  was  effected  without  incident,  and 
the  caravan  emerged  from  the  bush  into  an  open 
plain  only  sparsely  covered  with  scrub.  The  river 
takes  a  bend  to  the  south  at  this  point,  so  I  left  it 
behind  temporarily  and  took  a  short  cut  across  the 
plain.  We  passed  across  a  low  volcanic  ridge  which 
formed  the  last  and  lowest  spur  of  the  Marti  massif, 
and  reached  a  clump  of  dom  palms  and  the  river  once 
more  shortly  before  noon.  While  the  camels  were 
feeding  and  resting,  I  paid  off  my  two  guides,  who 
were  anxious  to  return  eastwards ;  moreover,  I  had 
now  reached  a  part  of  the  Protectorate  that  is  com- 
paratively well  known,  and  two  of  my  men  (the  gun- 
bearer  and  the  cook)  had  previously  travelled  as  far 
down  the  Uaso  Nyiro  as  this  on  a  former  "safari," 
and  they  declared  that  they  would  be  able  to  lead 
me  to  Meru. 

Before  we  parted,  the  guides  gave  me  some  very 
interesting  information  about  the  country.  They  said 
that  there  was  a  swamp,  almost  as  large  as  the  Lorian 
at  Arro  Dima,  situated  almost  due  south  of  Marti, 
near  what  I  should  imagine  is  the  Mackenzie  River. 
This  swamp,  they  told  me,  was  fed  by  a  river  issuing 
from  the  base  of  a  stony  hill  or  ridge,  but  the  water 
disappeared  into  this  large  bed  of  reeds  and  did  not 
emerge  again.  They  said  that,  whenever  game  was 
scarce  at  Lorian,  they  were  sure  to  find  it  in  abundance 
at  this  swamp,  and  vice  versa.      I   was  very  dis- 

263 


INTERESTING  LEGEND 


appointed  that  I  was  unable  to  visit  it,  but  lack  of 
food  rendered  any  delay  out  of  the  question,  and  I 
was  reluctantly  compelled  to  press  onward.  I  do  not 
know  how  much  truth  there  was  in  their  statement, 
but  I  cannot  see  what  object  they  could  have  had 
in  lying  about  it,  and  their  story,  which  was  told  me 
with  much  detail,  sounded  not  only  possible  but  quite 
probable.  Very  curious  in  this  connection  is  the 
fable,  commonly  told  and  believed  by  native  hunters 
in  Jubaland  and  the  Lorian,  that  elephants,  when  they 
know  they  are  about  to  die,  always  trek  to  a  large 
swamp  lying  between  the  Uaso  Nyiro  and  the  Tana 
River  and  end  their  days  there.  If  this  swamp  really 
exists,  and  is  a  favourite  haunt  of  elephants,  it  may 
have  given  rise  to  this  interesting  legend. 

In  payment  for  their  services  I  gave  them  some 
beads,  coffee  and  tobacco,  in  addition  to  a  full  "  tobe  " 
of  cotton  cloth.  They  were  delighted  with  their 
present,  and  thanked  me  effusively,  saying  that  I  had 
been  a  father  to  them,  and  that  this,  their  first  ac- 
quaintance with  the  "ferinji"  (white  man),  had  been 
indeed  a  pleasant  experience,  and  in  future,  instead  of 
avoiding  them,  they  would  offer  themselves  as  guides 
to  every  "  safari  "  that  came  that  way  ! 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  on  again,  and  at  dusk 
pitched  camp  at  the  foot  of  a  heap  of  volcanic  rock 
not  far  from  the  river.  There  was  an  abundance  of 
grass  and  water,  but  little  or  no  game,  nor  any  fresh 
spoor. 

On  leaving  this  camp,  the  whole  aspect  of  the 
country  changed  with  startling  abruptness.  The  bush 
ceased,  and  gave  place  to  stony  hills  of  volcanic 
formation,  covered  with  stunted  thorn  trees,  while  the 
river  narrowed  and  ran  between  high  banks  along 

264 


Camels  Resting  at  Midday 

All  along  the  Uaso  Nyiro,  pleasant  camping  pi  ces  were  afforded  by  the  dom  palms,  in 
whose  shade  the  camels  would  rest  and  feed  during  the  midday  halt. 


A  Study  in  Discontent 

"  The  camel,''  says  an  Oriental  proverb,  "curses  its  parents  when  it  has  lo  go  uphill,  and 
its  Maker  when  it  goes  down,"  and  this  admirably  sums  up  the  invincible  discontent  which 
is  perhaps  its  most  marked  characteristic. 


AN  ABRUPT  CHANGE 


which  dom  palms  were  still  the  most  conspicuous 
feature.  On  looking  eastwards  from  the  crest  of  the 
first  hill,  this  sudden  change  from  rocky  and  undulat- 
ing country  to  dense  tropical  vegetation  was  very 
noticeable.  Marti  could  be  seen  in  the  far  distance 
wrapt  in  haze,  and  this  was  the  last  point  from  which 
it  was  visible.  The  march  was  continued  through 
hilly  country,  at  times  along  the  river  banks,  at  others 
across  ridges  and  valleys,  in  order  to  avoid  a  detour. 
In  the  middle  of  the  morning  I  saw  a  tent,  and 
coming  up  and  questioning  the  few  men  that  were 
lounging  round,  I  discovered  that  it  belonged  to  two 
white  men,  and  was  their  base  camp,  from  which  they 
had  started  for  a  short  trip  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  but  that  they  were  expected  back  shortly.  The 
headboy  said  his  masters  were  expecting  me,  as  they 
had  heard  at  Nairobi  that  a  man  was  trying  to  cross 
Jubaland  to  reach  the  Lorian.  After  asking  a  few 
more  questions,  I  went  on  again,  and  did  not  halt  till 
noon,  when  I  reached  a  delightful  spot  right  on  the 
bank  of  the  Uaso  Nyiro,  which  at  this  point  was  only 
sparsely  covered  with  vegetation. 

For  two  hours  the  camels  were  allowed  to  feed, 
while  I  rested  under  the  shade  of  some  huge  palm 
trees,  and  then  the  march  was  continued  once  more. 
I  now  followed  the  course  of  the  river,  for  the  bush 
was  much  thinner,  and  a  faint  trail  made  walking 
easier.  The  sun,  though  hot,  seemed  only  pleasantly 
warm  after  the  climate  of  Jubaland,  and  a  cool  breeze 
now  and  then  rustled  through  the  palms,  and  lent 
invigorating  freshness  to  the  air. 

Just  before  dusk  I  decided  to  camp,  having  covered 
nearly  thirty  miles,  and  while  waiting  for  the  camels 
I  wandered  round  to  see  if  I  could  shoot  anything  for 

265 


A  MISTAKE 


supper.  The  scarcity  of  game  along  the  Uaso  Nyiro 
had  been  very  surprising,  though  it  was  true  I  had 
not  looked  for  it  very  much,  so  I  was  delighted  to  cut 
the  fresh  spoor  of  a  small  herd  of  impalla.  I  soon 
caught  sight  of  them  quietly  feeding  after  their 
evening  drink,  and  when  I  saw  the  buck  raise  his 
head,  I  fired,  and  heard  the  bullet  clap.  He  vanished 
behind  some  low  acacia  scrub,  and  when  he  re- 
appeared, as  I  thought,  between  two  bushes,  I  fired 
again,  and  down  it  fell.  But,  much  to  my  disgust,  I 
saw  the  buck  I  had  first  shot  galloping  off,  and  the 
one  I  had  killed  turned  out  to  be  a  doe.  Such 
mistakes  will  sometimes  happen  in  the  bush,  especially 
when  the  light  is  bad  and  it  is  difficult  to  make  out 
things  distinctly,  but  they  are  very  annoying.  How- 
ever, it  could  not  be  helped,  and  at  any  rate  it  pro- 
vided meat  for  the  men. 

When  we  started  once  more  the  following  morning, 
we  marched  along  a  narrow  trail  which  at  first  led 
westward  and  then  turned  north-west,  so  I  decided 
to  cut  back  again  through  the  bush  to  the  river,  in 
spite  of  my  headman's  assurance  that  we  were  going 
in  the  right  direction.  And  although  at  first  I 
thought  I  had  done  rather  a  foolish  thing,  I  soon 
struck  a  good  trail  leading  westwards  once  more, 
which  was  the  way  I  knew  I  ought  to  go.  I  believe 
the  other  road  was  a  native  track  leading  to  Marsabit ! 
On  we  went,  over  loose  lava  and  through  rather  dense 
thorn,  until  the  summit  of  a  little  hill  was  reached,  on 
the  other  side  of  which  lay  an  open  plain  bounded  on 
the  west  by  a  solitary  mountain  rising  to  a  consider- 
able height.  The  trail  had  at  this  point  completely 
disappeared,  so  I  made  straight  for  the  south  side 
of  the  mountain,  round  whose  base  I  saw  the  river 

266 


A  CROCODILE 


flowing.  But  the  plain  proved  far  larger  than  I  had 
at  first  anticipated,  and  noon  was  already  passed  by 
the  time  that  the  foothills  were  reached.  Here  I 
rested,  although  the  thorn  trees  afforded  but  scanty 
shade.  After  a  hurried  and  uninviting  lunch  of  dried 
dates,  I  started  off  again,  climbed  over  the  outlying 
spur  that  stretched  between  me  and  the  Uaso  Nyiro, 
and  clambered  down  the  other  side,  reaching  a 
beautiful  clump  of  palms  where  the  river  ran  between 
low  red  sandbanks. 

On  a  minute  island  in  the  centre  of  the  stream  I 
saw  a  large  crocodile  ;  so,  sitting  down,  I  took  a  long 
shot  at  him  as  he  lay  sleeping  in  the  sun.  He  never 
moved  except  for  a  few  quick  movements  of  the  tail, 
but  I  saw  the  blood  streaming  from  his  mouth. 
While  waiting  for  the  camels,  the  porters  soon 
dragged  him  to  shore.  He  proved  to  be  of  a  fair 
size,  some  12  feet  long,  but  small  compared  to 
the  monsters  that  haunt  the  Tana  River.  The 
bullet  had  entered  through  the  right  shoulder,  and 
passing  diagonally  through  and  slightly  upwards, 
had  torn  an  enormous  hole  in  the  neck  and  throat, 
and  had  finally  lodged  in  the  brain.  He  was  soon 
tied  on  to  a  camel,  and  the  skin  was  later  taken  off 
and  preserved. 

Although  this  spot  would  have  made  an  ideal 
camp,  I  decided  to  continue,  much  to  the  disgust  of 
my  men,  who  disliked  such  hard  marching.  Having 
entered  a  well-mapped  region,  I  was  no  longer  in  the 
hands  of,  my  guides,  and  led  the  way  myself.  I  was 
thus  able  to  cover  much  more  ground  than  I  had 
done  before.  I  intended  to  reach  the  river  a^ain 
where  it  flowed  between  two  low  hills,  but  night  fell 
as  I  was  crossing  the  plain  that  lay  between,  so  I 

267 


ARCHERS  POST 


camped  where  I  was,  having  plenty  of  water  in  the 
tanks  with  me. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  follow  in  detail  the  two 
days  that  followed  before  Archer's  Post  was  reached. 
The  country  grew  more  hilly  as  we  advanced,  and 
this  tried  the  camels  severely  ;  they  were  born  and 
bred  in  the  sandy  semi-arid  and  level  country  so 
characteristic  of  southern  Italian  Somaliland,  so  that 
they  were  quite  unfitted  to  the  new  conditions  in 
which  they  found  themselves.  A  few  developed  sore 
backs,  and  many  limped  slightly  from  bruises  or  cuts, 
caused  by  the  loose  and  sharp  volcanic  rock.  But  at 
length  the  Post  was  reached,  and  I  found  there  two 
Englishmen  and  a  little  store  ;  but,  unfortunately,  there 
was  little  in  the  way  of  food  to  be  bought,  and  so  it 
was  impossible  to  remain  there  and  allow  the  weary 
men  and  camels  to  rest  before  proceeding  to  Meru 
and  entering  on  the  last  stage  of  my  journey. 


268 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

SOME  NOTES  ON  THE  CAMEL 

Without  my  camels  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  me  ever  to  have  accomplished  my  journey  from 
the  coast.  If  only  as  an  act  of  justice  to  them,  I  must 
give  a  short  account  of  the  character  and  habits  of 
these  patient  and  useful  animals,  before  proceeding 
to  describe  the  final  incidents  of  my  expedition  and 
my  return  to  civilisation. 

About  no  other  domesticated  animal  than  the 
camel  is  there  so  much  popular  misinformation,  not 
only  as  regards  its  habits,  but  also  its  physical 
peculiarities.  The  Arabian  or  desert  camel  (Came/us 
dromedarius)  is  a  member  of  the  family  Tylopoda, 
to  which  also  belong  the  llamas  (that  is,  the  common 
llama,1  the  guanaco,2  the  vicuna3  and  the  alpaca4) 
which  inhabit  South  America.  It  is  widely  distri- 
buted throughout  northern  Africa,  Arabia  and  the 
lowlands  of  Asia.  It  is  distinguished  by  its  larger 
size  and  single  hump  from  the  Bactrian  camel  (C 
bactrianus)  characteristic  of  the  desert  highlands  of 
Central  Asia.  The  latter,  owing  to  the  colder 
climate  of  the  country  it  inhabits,  develops  an 
enormously  thick  coat,  which  in  summer  is  shed  in 
large  blanket-like  patches.  This  peculiarity  renders 
them  especially  valuable  to  their  owners,  for  a  camel 
thus  provides  them  not  only  with  meat  and  milk,  but 

1 L.  lama.       2  Lamaguan  acus.       3  L.  vicunia.       4  L.  pacos. 

269 


WILD  CAMELS 


also  with  clothing.  The  common  or  Arabian  camel 
never  grows  so  thick  a  coat  as  does  his  Asiatic 
cousin,  for  it  would  prove  worse  than  useless  to  him 
under  the  burning  sun  of  the  arid  deserts  where  he  is 
most  at  home  ;  but  even  so,  its  hair  at  times  attains 
sufficient  length  to  enable  the  natives  to  make  gar- 
ments from  it.  Thus,  it  was  dressed  in  one  of  these 
that  John  the  Baptist  went  out  into  the  desert. 

Camels,  it  has  been  stated,  are  now  unknown  as 
wild  animals,  but  this  is  not  the  case,  according  to  Dr. 
Sven  Hedin,  who  saw  large  herds  of  them  during  his 
many  journeys  of  exploration  in  Central  Asia.  Mr. 
R.  Lydekker,1  who  refers  to  these  animals  as  "  C. 
bactrianus  ferus>"  has  examined  several  skulls,  and 
has  found  that  they  differ  essentially  from  either  of 
the  two  domesticated  species.  The  dentition  of  the 
wild  camel  appears  to  approximate  much  more  closely 
to  that  of  fossil  species,  and  this,  combined  with  several 
minor  variations,  appears  to  indicate  that  the  living 
wild  camel  is  more  nearly  related  to  the  extinct  than 
to  either  of  the  existing  domesticated  species. 

The  camel  (Arab,  djemal ;  Heb.  garnet)  is  one 
of  the  most  curious  and  specialised  animals  among 
ruminants.  The  head,  placed  at  the  end  of  a  long 
curved  neck,  is  ridiculously  small,  as  also  are  the  ears, 
while  the  eyes  are  large,  and  the  nostrils  peculiar, 
being  narrow  and  slit-like  and  capable  of  being  closed 
at  will.  This  power  is  very  useful  to  them  during  a 
sandstorm,  for  on  such  occasions  they  will  lie  down 
with  their  backs  to  the  wind,  and  with  their  necks 
stretched  out  along  the  ground,  will  lie  motionless 
with  closed  nostrils  until  the  storm  is  passed.  Behind 
the  head  on  the  upper  part  of  the  neck  are  two  large 

1  Ency.  Brit.,  article  on  Camels,  by  R.  Lydekker. 
270 


FORMATION  OF  CAMEL'S  FOOT 


sweat  glands,  the  upper  lip  is  split  and  the  dentition 
remarkable,  having  incisors  in  the  upper  jaw  and  well- 
developed  canines  both  above  and  below.  The  limbs 
are  elongated,  and  each  of  them  terminates  in  two 
toes  only,  while  the  hoofs  are  replaced  by  pad-like 
swellings  on  the  under  side  of  the  foot.  Further 
characteristics  are  the  callosities  on  chest  and  knees, 
upon  which  the  camel  rests  when  lying  down,  the 
unusual  structure  and  formation  of  the  hind-le^s,  the 
fatty  reserve  in  the  hump,  upon  which  it  draws  on  the 
march  when  other  food  is  scarce,  and  the  internal 
water-cells. 

All  these  anatomical  peculiarities  have  probably 
been  developed  by  Nature  by  slow  degrees  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  a  life  spent  in  the  most  arid  and 
inhospitable  regions  of  the  world,  and  there  can  be  no 
question  but  that  the  camel  is  the  most  suitable  of  all 
domestic  animals  to  serve  the  needs  of  man  in  such 
surroundings.  Such  an  adaptation  to  its  mode  of  life 
is  most  strikingly  illustrated  by  the  formation  of  the 
leg  and  foot  of  the  camel  mentioned  above.  This  is 
characterised  by  the  entire  loss  of  the  two  smaller 
outer  digits  which  persist  more  or  less  in  all  ruminants, 
except  the  giraffe.  The  two  bones  which  form  the 
cannon-bone  in  the  camel  diverge  below,  an  arrange- 
ment which  gives  a  large  surface  of  attachment  for 
the  pad  on  the  under  side  of  the  foot.  This  enables 
the  camel  to  obtain  a  purchase  on  the  yielding  surface 
of  the  sand  on  which  it  walks,  and  at  the  same  time 
prevents  undue  heating  on  account  of  its  large  surface. 
A  very  similar  arrangement  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
African  ostrich  (Struthio  camehts),  where  only  the  third 
and  fourth  toe  are  present,  this  reduction  in  the 
number   of  the  digits  being  compensated   for  by 

271 


MODE  OF  PROGRESSION 


the  increased  size  of  those  remaining.  But,  unlike 
the  camel,  one  toe  is  much  larger  than  the  other, 
and  they  are  widely  separated.  In  both  cases  the 
structure  of  the  foot  is  designed  to  prevent  the 
animals  from  sinking  into  the  sand.1 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the 
natural  walk  of  the  camel  is  an  "  amble,"  in  which 
two  feet  on  the  same  side  are  brought  forward  and  set 
down  together  at  the  same  time.  This  is  a  method 
of  progression  very  rarely  seen,  and  though  sometimes 
used  by  a  horse,  it  is  an  artificial  pace  and  has  to  be 
taught  to  him.  Since  the  two  feet  are  set  down 
together  the  weight  of  the  body  is  more  evenly 
distributed,  and  this  fact  again  tends  to  prevent  the 
animal  from  sinking  too  deep  into  the  yielding  surface 
on  which  it  walks. 

The  female  carries  her  young  for  eleven  months, 
and  produces  only  one  at  a  birth.  These  young 
camels  attain  a  height  of  3  feet  within  eight  days, 
but  are  not  full  grown  until  the  fifteenth  or  sixteenth 
year.  They  are  covered  with  soft  silky  hair,  which  is 
most  profuse  along  the  back,  and  in  appearance  are 
extremely  ungainly. 

Before  going  on  to  describe  the  general  character- 
istics of  the  camel,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  note  how 
camels  were  introduced  into  the  United  States  in  an 
attempt  to  overcome  the  difficulties  of  crossing  the 
arid  and  waterless  plains  of  Arizona  and  parts  of 
California,  previous  to  the  building  of  the  railways. 
In  1855  the  War  Department  of  the  United  States 
imported  from  Asia  Minor  a   number  of  camels. 

1  For  further  particulars  regarding  the  structure  of  the  camel,  see 
The  Natural  History  of  Animals ,  by  J.  R.  A.  Davis,  vol.  iii.  169,  vol. 
v.  152,  and  vol.  vii.  231. 

272 


CAMELS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 


They  were  landed  at  Galveston  and  from  there  taken 
overland  to  Los  Angeles,  for  the  purpose  of  trans- 
porting military  supplies  from  that  point  to  various 
places  in  Arizona  and  California.  En  route,  however, 
a  number  of  these  camels  were  lost  or  strayed  near 
Agua  Caliente,  about  seventy-five  miles  east  of  the 
Colorado  River.  The  remainder  were  delivered  at 
their  destination,  but  their  use  was  found  impracticable, 
the  rocks  and  gravel  being  too  sharp  for  their  feet. 
Considerable  hostility  also  was  excited  amongst  the 
teamsters  and  freighters,  who  went  so  far  as  to  shoot 
the  camels,  on  the  ground  that  their  presence  caused 
the  horses  and  mules  to  stampede. 

Of  the  camels  taken  to  Los  Angeles,  a  number 
were  sent  back  to  Arizona  in  1876,  for  the  purpose  of 
transporting  ores  from  the  then  rich  Silver  King 
mine.  Here,  again,  their  presence  was  resented  by 
the  freighters,  and  the  band  was  eventually  turned 
loose  between  the  Gila  and  Colorado  Rivers.  In 
1883,  nine  of  them  were  captured  by  Papago  Indians 
and  turned  over  to  a  circus,  there  being  at  that  time 
twenty  in  the  herd,  eleven  of  which  were  between 
two  and  three  years  old.  In  the  beginning  of  19 12, 
when  I  was  last  in  Arizona,  there  were  approximately 
one  hundred  of  them  in  the  hills  east  of  the  Yuma 
and  Harqua  Hala  wagon  road,  away  from  the  haunts 
of  white  men  and  Indians.  They  run  mostly  in  the 
Eagle  Tail  Mountains  where  but  few,  if  any,  human 
beings  ever  go. 

"The  camel,"  says  Dr.  R.  E.  Drake- Brockman,1 
"  is  to  the  Somali  what  the  cow  is  to  the  Masai ; 
either  race  will,  without  hesitation,  lay  down  their 
lives  in  their  defence,  and  each  in  its  turn  is  the 

1  British  Somaliland,  R.  E.  Drake-Brockman,  p.  J90. 

s  273 


A  VALUABLE  ASSET 


cause  of  two-thirds  of  the  inter-tribal  feuds  and 
tribal  troubles,  the  cause  of  the  remaining  third 
being  woman." 

And  this  love  for  them  is  not  surprising,  when  it 
is  remembered  what  an  important  role  camels  play  in 
the  lives  of  the  Somali.  The  wealth  of  a  native  is 
estimated  by  the  number  he  possesses,  although  in 
southern  Jubaland  cattle  are  an  almost  equally 
valuable  asset.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  the 
country  is  not  nearly  so  suitable  for  camels  as  is 
Somaliland,  for  south  of  the  Lak  Dera  the  ground 
often  becomes  very  swampy  during  the  rains,  and 
under  such  conditions  camels  are  almost  useless  for 
transport.  But  in  the  drier  and  more  sandy  country 
round  Wajheir  and  Eil  Wak,  the  Somali  possess 
enormous  herds.  That  part  of  Jubaland  which  I 
crossed  does  not  seem  to  suit  them,  and  the  natives 
were  unanimous  in  declaring  that  it  was  extremely 
difficult  to  keep  them  in  condition. 

Although  I  only  lost  three  on  the  way,  I  always 
had  one  or  two  sick,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  I  was 
especially  solicitous  for  their  welfare  and  took  care 
that  they  were  lightly  loaded,  and  were  allowed  to 
graze  and  rest  on  every  possible  occasion.  I  can 
give  no  adequate  reason  for  this,  but  the  fact  remains. 
They  seem  also  to  be  particularly  susceptible  to  a 
variety  of  obscure  diseases,  of  which  the  1 '  camel 
sickness  "  seems  to  be  the  most  fatal.  The  general 
symptoms  of  this  illness  are  an  increasing  disinclina- 
tion to  feed,  so  that  the  animal  gradually  wastes 
away,  the  loss  of  sight  and  violent  colic.  There  is 
also  a  foul  discharge  from  the  nostrils,  and  generally 
some  swelling  about  the  head.  One  of  my  camels 
died  from  this  disease,  and  after  death  I  made  a  brief 

274 


BAGGAGE  AND  RIDING  CAMELS 


examination.  I  found  the  bowels  ulcerated  and  the 
liver  obviously  diseased.  This  sickness  is  said  to 
attack  chiefly  the  camels  brought  from  the  interior  to 
the  coast,  and  is  almost  invariably  fatal. 

Most  of  the  common  ailments  of  camels  and  cattle 
are  treated  by  "firing,"  or  cauterisation. 

The  Somali  recognise  a  variety  of  breeds,  for  each 
of  which  they  have  a  special  name.  But  the  camels 
bred  in  Jubaland  are  only  taught  to  carry  loads,  and  I 
did  not  see  any  riding  camels,  except  those  that  had 
been  imported  from  Aden  by  the  Government. 
Experts  say  that  there  is  as  much  difference  between 
the  two  as  there  is  between  a  cart  horse  and  a 
thoroughbred.  The  baggage  animal  is  certainly  much 
heavier,  and  although  some  have  been  taught  to  trot 
for  use  in  the  Camel  Corps,  I  know  from  personal 
experience  that  their  gait  is  exceedingly  uncomfortable, 
and  can  never  compare  with  that  of  the  swifter  and 
more  lightly  built  riding  camel  from  Arabia.  More- 
over, the  difference  in  value  is  enormous.  A  good 
baggage  camel  can  be  bought  in  the  interior  for  £2 
to  £$ — at  Kismayu  the  price  is  increased  to  £5  or  £6, 
— but  a  well-trained  riding  camel  will  never  fetch  less 
than  £15,  and  generally  much  more. 

Camels  vary  in  colour  enormously.  Those  from 
Wajheir  and  the  upper  Juba  are  dark  reddish,  while 
those  from  the  Benadir  coast  and  the  country  near 
Brava  and  from  southern  Italian  Somaliland  are 
almost  white.  I  regret  to  say  that  I  omitted  to 
ascertain  the  different  names  applied  to  these  camels. 
"  Aurki,"  which,  strictly  speaking,  means  a  stallion, 
is  generally  used  to  indicate  baggage  camels,  while 
14  Gol "  refers  to  one  which  has  been  gelded,  or  "  beef 
camel." 

275 


DEFECTS 


When  buying  them,  the  Somali  first  look  at  the 
hump  to  see  if  it  is  large  and  firm.  If  this  is  the 
case,  the  camel  is  in  good  condition.  They  next 
examine  the  back  and  the  withers  to  see  if  there  are 
any  old  saddle  sores.  If  so,  they  are  generally 
rejected,  as,  unless  they  are  completely  healed,  they 
soon  ulcerate  when  the  camel  is  worked,  and  cause 
endless  trouble.  They  also  look  at  the  inside  of  the 
front  leg.  If  there  is  any  swelling  there,  between  the 
shoulder  and  the  pectoral  callosity,  they  will  also 
reject  the  animal,  for,  when  hard  worked,  such  a 
camel  will  develop  a  large  wound  which  is  incurable, 
and  renders  the  animal  useless.  This  defect  is  said 
to  be  caused  by  improper  training  and  by  the  use 
of  heavy  loads  when  the  camel  is  young  and  inex- 
perienced. Few  Europeans,  however,  have  sufficient 
knowledge  to  be  good  judges  of  a  camel,  and  their 
purchase  is  generally  best  left  to  a  trusted  native.  I 
found  it  a  good  plan  to  give  my  headman  a  commis- 
sion (in  inverse  proportion  to  the  price  he  paid) 
for  each  animal  bought  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  cheaper 
he  procured  them  the  higher  was  his  commission, 
and  this  method  answered  admirably. 

I  have  already  referred  to  the  kindness  and  con- 
sideration shown  by  the  Somali  to  their  camels,  and 
also  to  the  songs  and  refrains  employed  when  loading 
and  unloading  them.1 

But  to  us  the  camel  appears  to  be  an  unsympathetic 
and  ungracious  beast.  There  is  an  Arab  proverb 
which  says,  "  The  camel  curses  its  parents  when  it 
has  to  go  uphill,  and  its  Maker  when  it  goes  down," 
and  this  admirably  sums  up  their  invincible  discontent, 
which  is  one  of  their  most  marked  characteristics. 

1  See  Chapter  XIII,  p.  154. 
276 


DOCILITY 


Whenever  they  are  made  to  lie  down  or  get  up, 
whenever  they  are  loaded  or  unloaded,  or  whenever 
approached,  they  gurgle  and  snarl  and  bare  their 
formidable-looking  teeth  in  a  vain  protest  against  being 
made  to  work  ;  and  yet,  once  they  are  on  the  march, 
they  will  continue  without  further  objection  until  they 
are  exhausted,  when  they  will  lie  down  and  die. 
They  are  a  curious  mixture  of  patience  and  obstinacy. 
Although  easily  handled  by  natives,  such  as  the  Arab 
or  Somali,  they  will  often  become  unmanageable  with 
Europeans,  and  are  subject  to  unreasoning  fits  of 
sulkiness,  when  neither  blows  nor  abuse  will  move 
them.  The  Somali  rarely  use  violence  towards  them, 
finding  them  far  more  responsive  to  kindness,  words 
of  endearment,  or  song  ;  I  have  often  been  astonished 
to  notice  how  camels  seem  to  understand  the  wishes  of 
their  syces,  a  fact  which  seems  to  give  the  lie  to  the 
generally  accepted  belief  in  their  stupidity. 

Camels  are  decidedly  ugly  if  measured  by  our 
standard  of  good  looks,  nor  do  they  make  up  in 
amiability  what  they  lack  in  beauty.  In  fact,  during 
the  rutting  season,  the  stallions  become  extremely 
dangerous,  and  many  instances  have  been  recorded  of 
their  savage  behaviour,  when  they  have  even  killed 
their  masters  without  any  provocation.  But,  happily, 
they  are  for  the  most  part  fairly  docile,  and  though 
they  often  present  a  truly  formidable  appearance, 
their  ' 'bark  is  generally  much  worse  than  their  bite." 
Ungainly  and  clumsy  they  certainly  are,  but  there  is 
something  extraordinarily  picturesque  in  the  sight  of 
a  long  line  of  laden  camels  toiling  slowly  and  solemnly 
across  the  desert,  to  the  sound  of  their  wooden  bells 
and  the  songs  of  their  syces  who  plod  along  at  their 
side. 

277 


A  USEFUL  ANIMAL 


Camels  are  not  only  valued  by  the  Somali  as 
beasts  of  burden,  but  also  because  they  provide  him 
with  meat  and  clothing,  and  also  milk.  The  flesh, 
though  generally  not  much  appreciated  by  Europeans, 
is  much  liked  by  them,  and  resembles  veal.  From 
the  hump  they  obtain  a  considerable  quantity  of  lard, 
which  they  use  both  in  cooking  rice,  when  they  have 
any,  and  in  preparing  "buni"  when  "ghee"  is  un- 
obtainable. The  females  yield  a  considerable  quantity 
of  milk  over  and  above  that  required  to  feed  their 
young,  and  this  takes  the  place  of  water,  and  often  ot 
food,  when  the  camel  herders  are  far  out  in  the 
desert.  Although  the  milk  is  rich,  no  butter  can  be 
made  from  it. 

The  average  length  of  a  camel's  life  is  forty  to 
fifty  years. 

The  females  begin  breeding  in  their  fourth  year, 
and  a  foal  is  born  every  alternate  year,  the  period 
of  gestation  being  eleven  months,  according  to 
Mr.  R.  Lydekker,  or  one  year  and  twenty  days 
according  to  Dr.  R.  E.  Drake-Brockman. 


278 


CHAPTER  XXV 

BACK  TO  CIVILISATION 

Archer's  Post  is  a  little  group  of  huts  surrounded 
by  a  wire  fence,  situated  on  an  eminence  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river.  A  small  body  of  police  is  stationed 
there,  for  it  is  quite  an  important  little  place  in  its  way  ; 
it  was  founded  by  Mr.  G.  F.  Archer  (after  whom  it 
was  named)  in  1909  while  on  his  journey  to  Marsabit, 
and  is  the  starting-point  for  travellers  going  to 
Abyssinia,  Wajheir  and  the  Northern  Frontier 
District  generally.  Close  to  the  Post  there  is  an 
excellent  ford  across  the  Uaso  Nyiro  with  a  flat- 
bottomed  boat  (for  use  when  the  river  is  in  flood) 
and  an  overhead  cable  to  which  it  is  attached,  and 
on  the  southern  bank  there  are  a  few  huts  and  a 
small  store  kept  by  two  young  Englishmen.  It  is 
the  outskirt  of  civilisation,  on  the  frontier,  as  it  were, 
of  a  fertile  and  well-watered  land,  beyond  which  lie 
the  arid  and  sun-scorched  wastes  of  a  great  desert. 
Round  the  Post  gather  together  the  Somali  traders 
from  the  north  and  east  for  a  well-earned  rest  after 
the  labours  and  anxieties  of  their  waterless  journey, 
followed,  as  they  come,  by  long  files  of  laden  camels 
or  herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  or  ponies,  forming 
a  scene  at  once  animated  and  picturesque. 

I  decided  to  leave  my  water-tanks,  and  proceed 
immediately  to  Meru  with  some  of  my  camels,  and 
to  pay  off  my  syces  and  send  them  back  to  Kismayu 

279 


A  WANT  OF  FORESIGHT 


with  the  rest  of  my  camels  and  the  equipment  lent 
me  by  Captain  Salkeld,  when  I  had  reached  the 
former  place.  I  had  arrived  at  Archer's  Post  early 
in  the  morning,  after  a  march  of  some  twelve  miles, 
and  I  allowed  my  men  and  animals  to  rest  during 
the  day.  I  passed  some  very  pleasant  hours  talking 
to  the  two  Europeans  in  the  store,  and  enjoyed  an 
excellent  meal  followed  by  a  Turkish  cigarette — two 
luxuries  I  had  not  tasted  since  I  had  left  Shimbirleh 
and  the  Lak  Guran  almost  three  months  previously. 
I  was  also  able  to  sell  four  of  my  camels  at  a  good 
price. 

The  Government  have  lately  constructed  a  good 
road  from  Meru  to  Archer's  Post,  and  thence  to 
Marsabit,  over  which  there  is  a  regular  monthly  service 
of  wagon  transport  for  carrying  the  mail  and  food 
supplies.  There  is  an  alternative  route  between  the 
Post  and  Meru,  also  made  by  the  Protectorate 
authorities  in  19 10,  I  believe,  but  since  practically 
abandoned  because  it  is  waterless.  To  construct 
such  a  road  at  no  insignificant  expense,  without 
taking  into  consideration  such  an  important  point  as 
the  water-supply,  seemed  to  me  to  argue  an  extra- 
ordinary want  of  foresight  in  those  who  were 
reponsible  for  it. 

However,  as  time  pressed,  I  decided  to  march 
to  Meru  by  this  route,  since  it  was  some  few  miles 
shorter,  although  the  absence  of  water  would  compel 
me  to  march  throughout  the  night. 

At  seven  o'clock,  therefore,  on  the  evening  of  the 
same  day  as  my  arrival,  I  left  Archer's  Post  and 
headed  south  towards  Kenya.  No  cloud  dimmed 
the  brilliance  of  the  stars,  which  shone  with  redoubled 
splendour  in  the  absence  of  the  moon,  and  all  through 


A  SILENT  MARCH 


the  weary  hours  that  followed,  as  we  climbed  ever 
upwards  towards  Meru,  I  watched  them  wheel  across 
the  heavens  and  set  in  all  the  incomparable  grandeur 
of  a  tropical  night.  The  air  grew  colder  as  we 
advanced,  and  towards  one  o'clock  I  was  glad  enough 
to  put  on  my  heavy  overcoat,  as  I  was  unable  to 
keep  warm,  although  walking  at  a  good  pace.  In  the 
early  morning  hours  my  gun-bearer  declared  he  could 
not  go  any  farther,  so  taking  the  rifle  I  left  him 
behind ;  but  he  soon  rejoined  us,  having  been  scared 
almost  to  death  by  the  grunting  of  a  lion.  During 
the  rest  of  the  march,  fear  alone  prevented  him  from 
collapsing,  and  he  kept  moaning  and  sobbing  to 
himself  in  utter  exhaustion. 

By  five  o'clock  I  was  myself  desperately  weary, 
for  we  had  not  halted  a  moment,  but  my  Somali 
marched  on  tirelessly,  although  they  too  had  grown 
silent  and  had  ceased  their  chattering  and  singing. 
Dawn  broke  at  last  with  rare  loveliness,  and  for  a 
brief  space  the  summit  of  Kenya,  snow-clad  and 
imposing,  was  visible,  before  it  disappeared  once 
more  behind  a  heavy  pall  of  mist  and  cloud.  We 
passed  through  a  dense  belt  of  forest,  and  then  up 
and  down  the  steep  slopes  of  the  foothills,  until  at 
last,  just  before  ten  o'clock,  we  entered  the  prosperous 
and  fertile  little  station  of  Meru.  It  had  taken  us 
fourteen  and  three-quarter  hours  to  cover  the  forty- 
three  miles  from  Archer's  Post,1  and  this  was  by 
no  means  a  bad  performance,  coming  as  it  did  on 
the  top  of  the  hard  and  continuous  marching  we  had 
accomplished  since  leaving  Marti  Plateau. 

That  evening  I  paid  off  my  syces,  giving  them 

1  I  had  no  means  of  measuring  the  distance  myself,  but  that  was 
the  figure  given  me  by  the  District  Commissioner. 

281 


THE  RESULT  OF  HARDSHIPS 


two  months'  pay  in  advance,  so  as  to  enable  them 
to  reach  Kismayu,  and  have  one  month's  pay  as  a 
present.  They  started  back  the  following  morning 
with  my  camels,  under  the  command  of  Farar  Ali,  my 
head  syce.  They  were  a  fine  lot  of  men,  who  had 
served  me  well  and  faithfully,  and  I  was  sorry  to 
part  with  them. 

There  still  remained  with  me  my  four  native 
police,  my  headman,  interpreter,  gun-bearer,  skinner, 
cook,  personal  servant,  syce  and  six  porters.  Of 
these  seventeen  men,  seven  were  total  wrecks  and 
had  to  be  left  behind  to  rejoin  me  later  in  Nairobi, 
while  the  other  ten  were  all  suffering  in  a  lesser  or 
greater  degree  from  the  hardships  to  which  they 
had  been  exposed.  All  were  cheerful,  however,  and 
delighted  to  reach  civilisation  once  more.  As  I 
wished  to  reach  Nairobi  at  the  earliest  possible 
opportunity,  I  decided  to  engage  more  Meru  porters 
than  was  absolutely  necessary,  in  order  that  they 
might  be  only  lightly  loaded  and  be  able  therefore 
to  travel  faster. 

Meru  is  the  centre  of  a  populous  and  thriving 
district.  Agriculture  is  carried  out  on  a  large  scale, 
and  there  are  also  considerable  herds  of  cattle,  goats 
and  sheep.  It  was  once  famous  for  its  ivory,  and 
was  constantly  visited  in  the  early  days  by  Arab 
and  Swahili  caravans,  who  penetrated  everywhere 
in  their  search  for  that  valuable  commodity.  Honey 
too  is  remarkably  plentiful  and  therefore  very 
cheap,  as  are  plantains,  yams  and  millet.  Meru  lies 
on  the  northern  slopes  of  Kenya,  one  of  the  most 
striking  mountains  in  Equatorial  Africa.  Although 
situated  only  a  few  miles  south  of  the  Equator,  its 
summit  is  covered  with  everlasting  snow,  and  attains 

282 


WHITE  SETTLERS 


a  height  of  17,040  feet.  The  shortest  route  to  Nyeri 
and  Nairobi  lies  along  the  eastern  slopes,  but  the 
country  is  so  undulating,  and  scarred  by  such  deep 
and  precipitous  ravines,  that,  personally,  I  much 
prefer  to  cross  the  western  spur  of  Kenya,  and 
thence  south-west  to  Nyeri,  a  distance  of  eighty- 
seven  miles  from  Meru  and  perhaps  seventeen  miles 
longer  than  the  eastern  route. 

The  country  on  either  side  is  too  well  known  to 
need  description,  and  it  would  be  tedious  to  follow  in 
detail  the  incidents  of  the  journey.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  on  the  seventh  morning  after  my  departure  from 
Meru  my  men  reached  Nairobi,  having  averaged  just 
over  twenty-five  miles  a  day  through  a  hilly  country, 
a  fact  which  speaks  well  for  the  raw  Meru  porters. 
At  Nyeri  the  Kikuyu  were  making  great  preparations 
for  the  coming  circumcision  ceremony,  which  was  to 
take  place  in  a  month's  time,  and  I  saw  several  boys 
in  the  extraordinary  costume  that  tradition  has 
ordained  for  such  occasions.  I  was  amazed  at  the 
greatly  increased  European  and  white  population, 
and  at  the  amount  of  land  that  has  been  taken  up 
by  settlers  since  I  had  last  visited  the  country  in 
1909.  It  is  not  for  me  to  criticise  the  resources  of 
East  Africa,  or  to  speak  of  its  commercial  prosperity  ; 
I  leave  that  to  those  far  better  fitted  than  myself. 
But  at  the  same  time  I  confess  that  I  have  been 
much  amused  by  the  glowing  and  often  exaggerated 
accounts  of  the  Pretectorate  that  I  have  read  in 
books  and  magazines,  and  have  often  wondered  at 
the  perverted  ingenuity  with  which  those,  who  had  an 
axe  to  grind,  enlarged  upon  its  manifold  advantages, 
and  glossed  over  its  somewhat  obvious  drawbacks. 

With  my  arrival  at  Nairobi,  my  journey  ended. 

283 


MORE  EXPLORATORY  WORK 


I  was  very  hospitably  entertained  by  the  officers  of 
the  King's  African  Rifles,  and  spent  a  very  pleasant 
week  with  them.  There  was  a  lot  of  work  to  be 
accomplished  before  I  could  leave  ;  my  men  were  paid 
off,  my  trophies  poisoned  and  packed,  and  five 
months'  mail  opened  and  read.  At  length,  everything 
was  finished,  and  I  was  free  to  return  home  at 
last. 

There  is  much  exploratory  work  still  to  be  accom- 
plished in  British  East  Africa.  On  both  sides  of  the 
Tana  River  are  large  stretches  of  unknown  country. 
The  region  to  the  south  of  my  route  has  never  been 
traversed  by  a  white  man,  and  between  it  and  the  Tana 
a  small  range  of  hills  has  been  shown  on  all  maps 
from  native  information  only.  It  would  be  of  great 
interest  to  know  whether  they  really  exist,  and,  if 
so,  what  is  their  extent  and  height.  West  of  Mr. 
Haywood's  route,  between  the  Lorian  and  Sankuri 
and  east  of  the  Jombeni  Mountains,  there  is  a  large 
tract  of  almost  wholly  unknown  country.  The  course 
of  such  rivers  as  the  Mackenzie  is  acknowledged  to 
be  very  doubtful,  and  the  hydrography  of  the  whole 
of  this  region  should  prove  of  the  utmost  interest. 
I  have  been  told  by  natives,  with  how  much  truth  I 
cannot  say,  that  there  exists  a  large  swamp  south  of 
Marti  and  between  the  Uaso  Nyiro  and  the  Tana.1 
This  is  by  no  means  impossible,  and  the  exploration 
of  this  part  of  the  country  might  open  up  new  hunting 
fields,  for,  as  far  as  is  known,  the  climate  is  healthy 
and  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  water. 

The  regions  lying  between  Kitui  and  the  Tana 
are  also  unexplored,  but  they  are  believed  to  be  unin- 
habited and  waterless,  and  their  investigation  would 

1  See  Chapter  XXIII.,  pp.  263-264. 
284 


UNKNOWN  LAND 


probably  be  attended  with  considerable  difficulty. 
Little  is  known  of  the  country  to  the  north  of  the 
Sabaki  River  and  east  of  the  Yata  Plateau.  Good 
sport  might  be  expected  in  any  of  these  parts. 
Farther  north  there  is  a  large  tract  of  unexplored 
country  due  east  of  Marsabit,  and  between  that  place 
and  Wajheir  and  even  farther  to  the  Juba  River. 
However,  a  considerable  amount  of  work  is  being 
accomplished  in  those  regions  by  officers  in  the 
K.A.R.,  and  by  officials.  But  probably  the  most 
important  work  still  remaining  to  be  done  is  the 
thorough  exploration  of  the  country  between  Lake 
Rudolf  and  the  Nile,  although,  strictly  speaking,  this 
is  not  included  in  the  East  African  Protectorate  at 
all  ;  it  would  prove  an  exceedingly  interesting  journey, 
no  doubt,  but  the  waterless  and  arid  nature  of  the 
country  might  prove  a  very  serious  difficulty. 

Now  that  the  highlands  are  so  over-crowded 
with  tourist-sportsmen  and  amateur  travellers,  it  is 
pleasing  to  remember  that  there  are  still  large  areas 
in  East  Africa  where  it  is  possible  for  a  brief  space 
to  pass  out  of  the  limits  of  civilisation  and  enter  a 
land  as  yet  untouched,  and  mix  with  natives  as  yet 
unspoiled.  It  is  devoutly  to  be  hoped  that  this  state 
of  things  may  continue,  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
nature  of  these  regions  will  forbid  their  immediate 
settlement,  and  their  inaccessibility  and  the  hardships 
entailed  by  a  near  acquaintance  with  them  will,  at 
any  rate,  temporarily  frighten  away  the  big-game 
shooter. 

In  looking  back  on  an  expedition,  the  recollections 
of  the  discomforts,  that  every  traveller  in  the  remoter 
parts  of  the  world  must  of  necessity  endure,  seem 
inevitably  to  sink  into  insignificance  compared  with 

285 


RETROSPECTION 


the  memories  of  the  pleasant  incidents  and  small 
triumphs,  of  which  the  journey  has  almost  invariably- 
been  full,  and  with  the  elation  of  achievement  when 
all  is  over. 

As  I  sit  and  write  these  lines,  the  remembrance 
of  pain  and  illness  has  faded,  leaving  in  my  mind  a 
picture  of  a  succession  of  happy  days  crowded  with 
absorbing  work  and  picturesque  or  thrilling  incidents. 
I  seem  to  see  again,  as  though  it  were  only  yesterday, 
the  Arrola,  free  and  undisturbed,  amidst  its  wild 
surroundings  ;  or  Mahommed  Ali  and  his  followers 
crowding  round  my  tent  in  unaffected  friendship  and 
good-will,  or  bowed  in  prayer  to  the  All-Powerful  in 
simple  and  unquestioning  belief.  I  can  see  again  the 
long  line  of  laden  camels,  the  swarthy  guides  and  the 
limitless  expanse  of  bush  and  sand  through  which 
they  toiled.  And  I  can  still  feel  the  exhilaration  of 
success  that  filled  me  when  first  I  looked  upon  the 
Lorian  Swamp  and  knew  that  the  most  difficult  part 
of  my  journey  was  safely  over. 

Such  recollections,  to  me  at  any  rate,  are  more 
than  a  sufficient  reward  for  any  sacrifices  or  priva- 
tions I  had  to  endure  in  order  to  accomplish  my 
purpose. 


286 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

HINTS  ON  OUTFIT 

In  the  following  pages  I  propose  to  deal  briefly  with 
the  important  question  of  outfit,  for  it  is  on  the  careful 
and  judicious  selection  of  equipment  that  the  success 
of  a  trip  largely  depends.  No  sum  of  money 
expended  on  buying  an  outfit  will  counterbalance  a 
lack  of  knowledge  as  to  what  is  essential  and  what 
is  not.  Experience  is  the  only  guide  which  enables 
the  traveller  to  reduce  his  baggage  to  a  minimum, 
without  appreciable  loss  of  comfort.  The  desire  to 
"rough  it"  unnecessarily  is  rather  puerile  and  marks 
the  inexperienced  novice  ;  it  inevitably  tends  not  only 
to  weaken  a  man's  power  of  resistance,  and  to  render 
him  less  fit  to  overcome  illness  and  danger,  but  also, 
if  continued  long  enough,  ends  in  a  loss  of  self-respect. 
I  shall  confine  myself  to  mentioning  what  my  experi- 
ence has  proved  most  useful  during  my  wanderings 
in  the  more  remote  corners  of  Mexico  and  Africa 
far  from  civilisation.  I  do  not  wish  to  dogmatise, 
only  to  suggest,  for  every  traveller  has  his  own 
whims  and  fancies.  For  instance,  it  would  be  as 
foolish  to  give  a  list  of  clothing  as  to  state  what  I 
consider  to  be  the  correct  number  and  bore  of  the 
rifles  necessary  for  big-game  shooting.  Men  of 
much  greater  experience  than  I  fail  to  agree  on 
these  subjects,  and  they  must  be  left  to  the  individual 
choice  of  the  traveller.    Personally  I  have  always 

287 


THE  TENT 


tried,  before  going  anywhere,  to  learn  what  has  been 
proved  by  experience  to  be  suitable  to  that  particular 
country,  and  I  hope  therefore  that  some  of  the  sug- 
gestions put  forward  in  this  chapter  may  be  of  value 
to  those  intending  to  visit  the  more  remote  and  desert 
regions  of  East  Africa. 

One  of  the  essential  points  to  bear  in  mind,  when 
buying  necessary  equipment,  is  the  method  of  trans- 
port that  is  to  be  utilised,  and  the  weight,  shape  and 
nature  of  the  articles  must  be  adapted  to  it.  If  the 
traveller  wishes  to  leave  the  well-known  and  popu- 
lated highlands  of  the  Protectorate,  and  to  enter  the 
unexplored,  and  to  me,  at  least,  far  more  fascinating 
regions,  he  will  have  to  provide  himself  with  camels 
in  order  to  cross  the  arid  and  often  waterless  country 
that  he  will  encounter.  And  I  shall  base  my  sugges- 
tions on  this  hypothesis. 

For  a  journey  of  over  six  weeks,  a  large  tent  is 
almost  a  necessity,  and  it  should  be  protected  from 
sun  and  rain  by  a  separate  outer  covering  or  "  fly," 
extended  in  front  to  form  a  kind  of  verandah.  The 
back  of  the  tent  proper  should  be  semicircular  in 
shape,  thus  providing  a  kind  of  second  compartment 
or  chamber  in  which  ' 1  chop"  boxes  and  personal 
belongings  may  be  stored  in  comparative  safety,  while 
it  leaves  the  body  of  the  tent  unencumbered,  with 
ample  room  for  bed  and  chair.  A  ground  sheet  of 
the  same  material  as  the  tent  {i.e.  rot-proof  canvas) 
should  be  provided,  which,  if  laced  tightly  to  the  walls 
of  the  tent,  will  prevent  snakes  from  entering,  and  will 
help  to  exclude  the  damp.  When  camp  is  pitched, 
see  that  the  men  always,  wet  or  fine,  dig  a  small 
trench  round  the  tent  just  within  the  overhanging 
edge  of  the  outer  4 'fly,"  so  that  in  case  of  a  sudden 

288 


THE  BED 


storm  the  water  will  be  carried  away,  and  will  not 
flood  the  tent,  with-  disastrous  consequences  to  food, 
clothes  and  rifles.  Even  if  the  weather  is  fine,  it  is 
foolish  to  omit  this  precaution,  for  in  the  tropics  a 
storm  will  burst  with  startling  rapidity  and  violence. 

In  the  healthy  climates  of  Canada,  Australia  and 
parts  of  Mexico,  a  man  may  live  with  a  minimum 
amount  of  equipment  for  months  in  the  wilds  without 
any  inconvenience  ;  but  in  tropical  Africa  there  is  so 
much  to  contend  with,  that  it  is  imperative  to  increase 
the  size  of  the  outfit,  and  what  would  be  luxuries  in 
one  country  become  necessities  in  the  other.  A 
strong  folding  bedstead  (for  instance,  the  "  Com- 
pactum ")  and  a  comfortable  chair  should  be  taken. 
The  best  form  of  the  latter  is  the  "  Rhoorkee,"  which 
has  an  adjustable  back.  It  weighs  4  lb.  and  packs 
into  a  very  small  compass.  Canvas  deck-chairs  are 
extremely  comfortable,  but  they  are  bulky,  and  make 
an  awkward  load.  After  a  hard  day's  march  these 
articles  will  be  much  appreciated.  A  mosquito  net 
is,  of  course,  essential,  and  since  an  efficient  one 
naturally  excludes  a  certain  amount  of  air,  it  should 
be  large,  made  to  hang  from  the  roof  of  the  tent, 
and  weighted  at  the  bottom.  This  is  preferable  to 
tucking  it  under  the  bedclothes,  for  if  this  is  done 
and  any  part  of  the  sleeper's  person  become  uncovered 
and  touch  the  net,  it  immediately  forms  the  object  of 
a  venomous  attack.  A  non-inflammable  net  can  now 
be  obtained,  and  it  certainly  possesses  many  advan- 
tages over  the  old  form. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  point  out  that,  in  tropical 
and  unhealthy  countries,  strict  personal  cleanliness  is 
of  the   utmost   importance  in  the  preservation  of 
health.    The  most  convenient  form  of  bath  is  made 
t  289 


CLEANLINESS 


of  green  rot-proof  canvas,  which  is  supported,  when 
in  use,  by  a  wooden  framework.  A  cold  bath  should 
never  be  taken  in  Africa,  but  a  hot  one  with  a  small 
amount  of  mustard  thrown  in  has  a  most  invigorating 
effect,  and  relieves  stiffness,  aches  and  pains  in  a  way 
that  would  hardly  be  believed  until  it  is  tried.  This 
bath  folds  up  in  a  very  small  space,  and  weighs 
8  lb.  The  japanned  steel  bath  that  is  often  used  by 
travellers  and  officials  in  Africa,  though  more  com- 
fortable, is  impracticable  for  transport  by  camels,  for 
it  is  too  bulky  and  would  soon  be  smashed,  or  at 
any  rate  be  so  badly  damaged  by  contact  with  the 
branches  of  trees  as  to  be  rendered  completely 
useless. 

If  some  kind  of  antiseptic  soap  be  used,  such  as 
Izal  soap,  the  risk  of  contracting  skin  diseases,  and 
even  prickly  heat,  will  be  diminished,  while  it  also 
alleviates  the  irritation  caused  by  the  bites  of  various 
insects.  Great  care  should  be  taken  of  the  teeth,  and 
a  good  mouthwash  should  be  included  among  toilet 
requisites  ;  for  the  teeth  quickly  decay  in  hot  climates, 
and  the  gums  often  become  sore  from  eating  the 
tough  and  stringy  meat  of  wild  animals,  and  from  lack 
of  fresh  fruit  or  vegetables.  The  traveller  cannot 
fail  to  notice  the  care  bestowed  on  their  teeth  by 
the  Somali,  and  in  this  particular  they  may  well  be 
imitated. 

Scrupulous  cleanliness  should  also  be  observed 
with  regard  to  the  canteen  and  to  cooking  appliances 
generally.  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  quote  the 
advice  given  in  the  Royal  Geographical  Society's 
Hints  on  Outfit.  Dr.  Harford  says  in  that  invaluable 
little  book  : 1  "  A  food  box  should  be  carried,  consisting 

1  R.G.S.'s  Hints  on  Outfit,  by  C.  F.  Harford,  M.D.,  p.  25. 
29O 


THE  CANTEEN 


of  a  wooden  box  (size  2  feet  6  inches  x  1  foot  x  1  foot) 
with  a  well-fitting  lid.  .  .  .  This  box  should  be  re- 
garded as  a  travelling  larder  and  should  contain 
several  jars  with  fixed  covers  and  a  few  screw-top 
wide-mouthed  bottles.  .  .  .  Condensed  milk,  after 
opening  a  tin,  butter  and  jam  should  be  kept  in 
bottles,  as  also  sardines  when  removed  from  the  tin. 
.  .  .  It  has  been  suororested  that  aluminium  utensils 
should  be  employed  instead  of  jars,  and  we  think  they 
are  well  worthy  of  a  trial,  as  they  are  lighter,  will  not 
break  and  do  not  act  on  the  food.  The  greatest  care 
should  be  taken  as  to  the  arrangement  of  this  box. 
No  food  should  be  allowed  to  remain  in  it  from  day 
to  day,  and  it  need  hardly  be  said  that  the  box  and 
every  receptacle  in  it  should  be  kept  scrupulously 
clean.  Slovenliness  in  this  respect  is  unpardonable. 
There  are  quite  sufficient  risks  to  life  in  Central 
Africa  without  running  the  risk  of  poisoning  by 
putrefying  food." 

Another  box  should  also  be  taken  and  kept 
separate  from  the  other  "chop"  boxes.  In  it  a  small 
selection  of  invalid  foods  should  be  placed,  to  be  used 
only  in  case  of  illness.  I  would  suggest  that  cocoa, 
Bovril,  Eggo  (a  powdered  and  highly  nutritious  form 
of  eggs)  and  Brand's  Essence  of  Chicken  should  be 
amongst  its  contents. 

I  do  not  propose  to  give  a  list  of  food  stuffs.  This 
must  depend  on  the  personal  likes  and  dislikes  of  the 
traveller.  But  whatever  is  taken  should  be  simple 
and  nourishing.  Tin  foods,  as  also  fruits  in  syrup, 
should  be  avoided  as  much  as  possible,  owing  to 
their  weight.  On  my  last  journey  across  Jubaland, 
one  box  weighing  60  lb.  contained  sufficient  food  for 
myself  for  one  month,  supplemented,  of  course,  by  what 

291 


WATER 


I  shot.  It  should  be  noted  that  biscuits  are  very 
useful  on  the  march,  when  there  is  no  time  to  have 
a  proper  meal,  and  the  most  nourishing  are  what  are 
known  as  "  Polar  Kjeks,"  invented  by  Amundsen  and 
recommended  to  me  by  my  friend,  Dr.  Carl  Lumholtz, 
the  well-known  explorer.  All  provisions  for  transport 
on  camels  should  be  packed  in  wooden  boxes  of  about 
60  lb.  in  weight.  Four  of  these  make  a  light  and 
convenient  load,  on  the  top  of  which  may  be  added 
such  articles  as  porters'  tents,  cooking-pots,  etc. 

Of  the  utmost  importance  are  the  means  adopted 
for  transporting  water.  In  the  Northern  Frontier 
District  of  British  East  Africa  and  in  Jubaland 
water-holes  are  sometimes  100  miles  apart  and  even 
more.  A  minimum  of  120  gallons  of  water  should  be 
carried  for  one  European  and  twenty-four  natives, 
preferably  160  gallons.  The  best  method  is  that 
adopted  by  the  officials,  who  are  supplied  by  the 
Government  with  a  number  of  copper  tanks,  each 
containing  from  10  to  12  gallons.  Two  of  these 
form  a  light  load,  easily  fastened  to  a  pack-saddle 
and  of  convenient  shape.  It  is  an  advantage  to  have 
a  padlock  fastened  to  the  circular  lid.  In  addition, 
the  men  should  be  supplied  with  a  canvas  water-bottle 
containing  one  gallon  each.  These  are  preferable  to 
and  less  expensive  than  those  made  of  block  tin,  which 
almost  inevitably  develop  a  leak  after  some  months 
of  hard  usage.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  all 
water  should  be  boiled,  and,  if  possible,  filtered. 

An  even  better  plan,  when  practicable,  is  to  distil 
it.  But  the  shallow  pans,  which  form  the  only  water- 
supply  in  southern  Jubaland,  are  almost  invariably 
polluted  by  the  urine  of  cattle  or  game  who  have  drunk 
there  ;  while  weeds,  slime  and  dung  may  be  eliminated 

292 


WATER 


by  the  above-mentioned  processes,  no  method  yet  in- 
vented will  completely  purify  water  contaminated  by 
urine,  and  its  chief  danger  lies  in  the  fact  that  it 
provides  an  admirable  breeding-ground  for  the  germs 
of  all  forms  of  disease.  The  traveller  should  therefore 
always  try  to  keep  for  himself,  at  any  rate,  a  small 
reserve  of  fresh  rain-water,  if  possible,  in  one  of  the 
tanks,  in  case  of  meeting  such  a  pool.  But  it  often 
happens  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  drink  such 
water,  and  when  this  is  the  case,  the  only  course  left 
open  to  him  is  to  boil  it  thoroughly,  filter  it  just  before 
use  and  then  partake  of  it  as  sparingly  as  possible.  I 
am  strongly  against  the  use  of  alcohol  in  any  form  on 
safari.  The  habit  of  taking  copious  draughts  of  water 
is  also  to  be  avoided,  since  it  weakens  muscular  energy 
and  induces  to  violent  perspiration,  which  increases 
the  feeling  of  exhaustion  and  tends  to  produce 
"prickly  heat."  In  my  own  case,  I  drink  nothing 
but  weak  tea  without  milk  and  with  but  little  sugar. 
I  find  that  it  not  only  quenches  thirst  very  quickly, 
but  is  also  very  refreshing. 

Little  need  be  said  about  the  saddles  and  equip- 
ment of  the  beasts  of  burden,  since  they  will  be 
dictated  by  the  customs  prevalent  in  the  country. 
In  this,  as  in  regard  to  the  hours  of  marching,  and 
in  the  care  and  management  of  the  animals,  the 
habits  of  the  natives  are  not  to  be  lightly  condemned. 

The  following  general  principles  should  be  borne 
in  mind  when  dealing  with  the  Somali.  It  would  be 
a  fundamental  mistake  to  treat  them  with  that  con- 
tempt, which  is  so  often  shown  to  the  black  races  by 
Europeans.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  Somali 
is  far  superior  in  intelligence,  and  therefore  far  more 
dangerous  than,  for  instance,  the  Masai  or  Kikuyu  ; 

293 


TREATMENT  OF  NATIVES 

nor  must  it;  be  forgotten  that,  according  to  their  own 
ideas,  they  are  strict  Mussulmans.  In  a  recent  article 
on  big-game  shooting  in  East  Africa  that  appeared 
in  a  magazine,  the  writer  states  that  four  Somali 
came  into  camp  and  presented  him  with  a  sheep,  but 
he  gave  them  nothing  in  return,  for,  he  says,  "they 
would  be  frightfully  offended  if  we  offered  them 
anything  for  it,  even  a  drink "(!).  The  last  three 
words  especially  show  such  an  astounding  ignorance 
that  they  alone  justify  the  Government's  action  in 
making  the  Northern  Frontier  District  and  Jubaland 
a  closed  territory,  forbidden  to  the  casual  big-game 
shooter. 

It  is,  of  course,  essential  never  to  lose  one's  temper, 
although  the  Somali   frequently  but  unconsciously 
appear  insolent,  but  this,  as  a  rule,  is  a  mannerism 
rather  than  a  deliberate  act.    Chiefs  should  always 
have  a  present,  and  all  communications  should  go 
through  them.    The  nature  of  the  gift  varies  with 
the  importance  of  the  recipient.    Coloured  silk  hand- 
kerchiefs, silk  cloths,  razors  and  looking-glasses  all 
form  appropriate  presents  to  big  chiefs,  in  addition 
to  the  value  in  trade  goods  of  the  gift  he  has  made 
you  (probably  an  ox  or  a  couple  of  sheep  or  a  camel). 
With  discontented  Somali  it  is  advisable  to  allow 
plenty  of  talk,  and  to  provide  coffee,  while  they  are 
discussing.    In  this  way  a  solution  agreeable  to  both 
sides  may  often  be  reached.    Should  any  chief  or 
men  prefer  a  complaint  against  any  of  the  explorer's 
followers,  with  regard  to  any  matter  previous  to  that 
journey,  he  should  point  out  that  while  working  under 
him  his  men  are  neutral,  and  they  cannot  be  interfered 
with,  until  they  have  been  discharged.    If  he  has  any 
complaint  to  make  against  a  native,  the  traveller 

294 


RULES  OF  CONDUCT 


should  in  the  first  instance  report  it  to  the  chief,  and 
all  disputes  should  be  settled  locally. 

The  following  points  should  be  remembered  if  the 
traveller  has  not  had  any  previous  acquaintance  with 
Mohammedans  : — 

1.  Never  hit  or  beat  a  Somali. 

2.  Never  point  at  a  man  with  your  finger. 

3.  Never  stare  or  attempt  to  photograph  a  Mussulman  at 

his  prayers. 

4.  Do  not  ask  unnecessary  questions,  and  do  not  inquire 

after  a  man's  family. 

5.  Do  not  be  contemptuous  or  patronising  with  the  Somali, 

nor  familiar.  There  is  a  happy  mean,  which  he  is 
quick  to  recognise  and  welcome  with  respect. 

6.  Do  not  laugh  or  sneer  at  his  hut  or  his  habits.    He  is 

quick  to  resent  this,  and  rightly  so. 

7.  Do  not  promise  or  threaten  anything,  unless  you  know 

you  can  carry  it  out  immediately.  Delay  will  be  re- 
garded as  a  confession  of  weakness,  with  a  consequent 
loss  of  authority. 

There  is  still  much  exploratory  work  to  be  accom- 
plished in  the  remoter  parts  of  East  Africa,  and  I 
should  like  to  urge  very  strongly  on  travellers  who 
intend  to  visit  those  regions,  that  they  should  fit 
themselves  in  a  scientific  sense  of  the  word,  in  order 
that  they  may  fully  profit  by  the  opportunities  afforded 
them  on  such  an  expedition.  I  cannot  do  better  than 
quote  a  passage  by  Mr.  E.  A.  Reeves  in  the  Intro- 
duction to  the  ninth  edition  of  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society's  Hints  to  Travellers.  "  The  days  of  rough 
route  surveying,"  he  says,  "  are  practically  past.  A 
man  who  only  makes  a  hurried  journey  through  some 
imperfectly  known  district  without  proper  instruments 
or  previous  training,  and  who  is  able  consequently 
only  to  bring  back  with  him  a  rough  prismatic  com- 

295 


SCIENTIFIC  OUTFIT 


pass  sketch  of  the  route  he  has  taken,  unchecked  by 
astronomically  determined  or  triangulated  positions, 
will,  at  the  present  time,  find  that  he  has  not  rendered 
any  great  service  to  geography.  That  sort  of  work 
might  be  all  very  well  in  the  early  days  of  exploration, 
but  what  is  wanted  now  is  something  better  and  more 
reliable  .  .  .  which,  if  not  possessing  the  extreme 
accuracy  of  a  complete  trigonometrical  survey,  shall 
at  least  have  some  scientific  basis.  ..."  I  should 
strongly  advise  intending  travellers  to  pay  a  visit 
to  the  Geographical  Society  before  leaving  England, 
where  they  may  obtain  not  only  advice  in  the  selection, 
but  also  instruction  in  the  use  of  scientific  instruments. 
Nor  can  there  be  any  question  but  that  the  enjoyment 
of  an  expedition  is  much  increased,  if  the  traveller  has 
a  wide  range  of  interests  and  some  scientific  training. 

Photography  is  a  delightful  recreation  at  any  time, 
but  to  the  explorer  it  not  only  becomes  a  means  of 
recording  the  scenes  and  impressions  of  his  journey, 
but  is  the  best  method  for  obtaining  correct  records 
for  geographical  or  ethnological  reference.  It  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  make  any  suggestions  as  to  the 
type  of  camera  that  should  be  taken  without  knowing 
what  kind  of  photographs  are  required.  Travellers 
may  be  roughly  divided  into  two  classes  as  regards 
photography,  those  who  are  interested  only  in  its 
pictorial  possibilities,  and  desire  only  to  obtain  pic- 
tures of  beautiful  landscapes  and  native  scenes  for 
their  own  enjoyment,  and  those  who  want,  in  addition, 
to  bring  back  the  best  results  of  the  natural  history, 
botany  and  archaeology  of  the  country  they  traverse 
for  scientific  purposes.  To  the  former  I  would 
recommend  a  reflex  camera,  if  they  have  had  some 
photographic  experience,  and  of  the  many  forms  on 

296 


PHOTOGRAPHY 


the  market  there  are  none  more  suitable  for  work  in 
tropical  countries  than  the  N.S.  Reflex  with  metal 
shutter.  No  rubber  blind  shutter  will  resist  the  effects 
of  heat  and  damp  for  any  length  of  time.  But  to 
those  travellers  who  dislike  a  bulky  camera,  or  one 
which  involves  changing  the  plates  in  the  dark,  the 
Kodak,  fitted  with  a  high-class  anastigmat,  is  eminently 
suitable.  These  cameras  are  simple  and  convenient 
and  are  capable  of  excellent  results,  but  it  would  be 
unreasonable  to  expect  them  to  produce  the  same 
class  of  work  as  a  more  perfect  instrument  would  do. 
The  latter  are  fitted  with  a  wide  range  of  movements, 
which  have  to  be  sacrificed  in  the  Kodak  to  size  and 
weight,  and  they  are  therefore  necessarily  more 
complex. 

But  to  the  traveller  who  wishes  to  do  more  serious 
work,  I  should  recommend,  in  addition  to  a  reflex, 
either  a  universal  hand  or  stand  camera,  such  as 
the  Sanderson,  or  Sinclair  "  Una,"  or,  even  better,  a 
square  bellows  type  of  stand  camera  using  whole  or, 
at  any  rate,  half-plates.  With  such  a  combination 
and  a  series  of  two  or  three  lenses,  practically  any 
photographic  difficulty  may  be  overcome.  This  out- 
fit may  sound  complicated  and  troublesome,  but  it 
must  be  remembered  that  there  is  no  single  camera 
suitable  for  all  types  of  subject,  and  that  good  results 
are  not  obtained  without  the  expenditure  of  much 
time  and  labour.  A  point  to  be  noticed  in  buying  a 
reflex  camera  is  that  it  should  have  a  reversing  back, 
and  that  the  hood  should  be  capable  of  being  turned 
round,  in  order  that  natives  may  be  photographed  at 
right  angles  to  the  direction  in  which  the  camera  is 
pointing.  In  some  cases  this  is  most  desirable,  as 
certain  tribes  have  a  strong  superstitious  fear  of  the 

297 


LENSES 


camera,  and  would  make  things  extremely  unpleasant 
for  the  photographer  if  they  found  themselves  the 
subject  of  his  attention. 

As  far  as  telephoto  lenses  go,  I  have  not  had  a 
great  deal  of  experience,  but  the  one  I  have  used 
during  the  last  two  years  has  given  me  complete 
satisfaction.  It  is  a  Dalmeyer  No.  i  Grandac. 
With  a  camera  extension  of  12  inches,  and  working 
at  the  large  aperture  of  F/12,  it  gives  the  equivalent 
of  a  lens  of  30  inches  focal  length  ;  that  is  to  say,  that 
at  60  yards  it  gives  the  same  sized  image  as  an 
ordinary  quarter-plate  camera  and  usual  lens  (5  inches) 
gives  at  10  yards.  A  greater  number  of  magnifica- 
tions can  be  obtained  by  increasing  the  extension  of 
the  camera,  but  this,  of  course,  decreases  the  amount 
of  light  transmitted.  The  positive  of  this  telephoto 
combination  is  of  10  inches  focal  length,  and  works 
at  F/4,  so  that  it  is  admirably  adapted  for  very  high- 
speed work,  and  also  for  photography  when  the  light 
is  very  poor.  Its  one  disadvantage  is  its  great  bulk 
and  weight. 

Plates  or  films  can  be  taken,  but  the  former  are 
far  more  reliable,  and  although  much  heavier  and 
more  inconvenient,  the  finer  results  obtained  far  out- 
weigh these  objections.  The  Paget  Prize  Plate  Co. 
now  supply  their  plates  especially  hardened  for  the 
tropics  if  desired,  so  that  they  may  be  developed  at 
a  temperature  of  90°  Fahr.  without  any  danger  to  the 
gelatine.  Plates  should  always  be  dusted  carefully 
before  being  inserted  in  the  slides  and  on  removing 
them  ;  they  should  not  be  left  in  the  camera  longer  than 
twenty-four  hours.  Development  should  be  done  in  the 
field  and  as  soon  as  possible,  after  exposure.  I  always 
make  a  rough  proof  on  P.O. P.  paper,  so  that  in  case 

298 


PLATES,  FILMS,  ETC. 

of  the  negative  being  broken  in  transport  or  lost,  a 
copy  of  the  subject  would  still  be  left.  Development 
presents  no  difficulties,  if  tanks  be  used  and  tabloid 
chemicals  taken.  The  Agfa  Acid  Fixing  Salts  are 
convenient,  as  they  are  sold  in  tins  containing 
sufficient  hypo,  to  make  35  oz. — approximately  a 
tankful. 

A  spare  mirror  and  ground-glass  should  be  carried, 
cut  to  fit,  as  without  them  a  reflex  camera  is  practically 
useless.  The  use  of  an  actinometer  will  save  a  great 
wastage  of  plates ;  but  it  must  be  noted  that  the 
sensitive  paper  darkens  more  slowly  in  a  dry  and 
more  quickly  in  a  damp  climate,  and  an  allowance 
must  be  made  in  calculating  the  exposure.  An 
invaluable  rule,  not  often  mentioned,  is  that  the 
actinometer  gives  the  correct  exposure  for  normal 
subjects  only  ;  for  near  objects,  double  the  exposure 
should  be  given,  for  distant  objects,  one  quarter  of 
what  is  indicated  by  the  actinometer. 

One  word  of  warning  is  needed  before  I  finish. 
To  penetrate  into  the  little-known  regions  of  Jubaland 
requires  a  great  deal  of  hard  travelling ;  many  a 
weary  hour  must  be  faced.  Hunger,  heat,  fatigue, 
illness  and  especially  thirst  must  be  endured  almost 
daily,  and  in  the  far  interior  there  is  always  the 
danger  of  an  attack  by  the  natives.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  Jubaland  contains  a  variety  of  game 
unobtainable  elsewhere,  and  the  melancholy  of  its 
scenery  cannot  but  attract  those  who  appreciate 
Nature  in  her  sterner  moods. 


299 


APPENDIX  A 


A  SUMMARY  OF  THE  GEOGRAPHICAL  RESULTS  OF 
THE  EXPEDITION 

In  order  to  set  forth  the  topographical  features  with  the 
greatest  lucidity,  the  country  traversed  by  the  expedition 
may  be  conveniently  divided  into  three  parts,  namely : — 

1.  Jubaland^  (comprising  the  districts  of  Guranlagga,  Joreh, 

Kurde,  Gulola  and  Arroga). 

2.  Lak  Dera  (comprising  the  districts  of  Rama  Gudi  and  Bojhi). 

3.  The  Loricm  {i.e.  the  country  between   Marti  Plateau  and 

Madoleh). 

i.  Jubaland. — The  general  slope  of  the  land  is  from  the 
north-west  towards  the  south-east.  The  country  consists 
of  a  series  of  broad  shallow  valleys  almost  imperceptible 
to  the  eye,  for  the  most  part  overgrown  with  dense  bush 
and  forest  and  generally  running  from  the  north-west  to 
the  south-east.  Down  their  centre  there  are  usually  dry 
stream  beds,  mostly  sandy  and  filled  with  almost  im- 
penetrable jungle.  Many  of  them  are  connected  with  the 
numerous  small  creeks  found  along  the  coast,  and  they  form 
practically  the  only  drainage  system  of  the  country.  But 
generally  in  the  north  these  valleys  and  low  rounded 
ridges  disappear  as  they  draw  near  the  sea,  giving  place 
to  a  level  arid  plain,  known  as  Dibayu,  which  is  only 
separated  from  the  Indian  Ocean  by  a  line  of  sandhills. 
These  sanddunes,  which  rarely  exceed  200  feet  in  height, 
stretch  from  Gobwein  in  the  north  to  Port  Durnford  (Birkau) 
in  the  south,  and  are  parallel  to  the  coast.  They  are  covered 
with  dense  scrub  and  flat-topped  conifers  {Juniperus  procerd). 

1  Southern  Jubaland  properly  includes  Nos.  1  and  2.  They  are 
only  divided  here  for  convenience,  in  order  to  emphasise  their  different 
characteristics. 

3OO 


APPENDIX  A 


To  the  south-east  of  Joreh  is  a  belt  of  forest  country  known 
as  Biskayia.  Near  the  coast  are  a  large  number  of  man- 
grove swamps,  infested  by  the  tsetse  fly  and  known 
collectively  under  the  name  of  Wama  Iddu.  The  greater 
part  of  the  water  that  falls  during  the  rainy  season  in  this 
district  drains  into  these  swamps  and  into  the  rivers  Arnoleh 
and  Durnford,  and  thence  into  the  sea. 

The  interior  of  the  country  is  characterised  by  thick 
belts  of  dense  acacia  scrub,  alternating  with  small  park-like 
glades  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  grass  and  dotted  with 
mimosa  and  occasionally  with  camel  thorn  trees  {Acacia 
giraffes).  These  plains  often  become  swampy  during  the 
rainy  season,  the  slope  of  the  land  being  insufficient  to 
drain  the  country. 

There  are  two  main  watersheds;  the  first  being  that 
which  divides  the  valley  of  the  Guranlagga  (see  map)  from 
that  of  the  Lak  Dera.  The  second  divides  the  country 
draining  into  the  Guranlagga  from  that  draining  southwards 
towards  Wama  Iddu  and  the  Tana.  It  must  here  be  noted 
that  the  Guranlagga  rises  at  a  place  called  Gonia  Iddu  in 
the  district  of  Kurde  in  latitude  o°  22*  28"  S.  and  longitude 
41 0  io'  20"  E.,  and  flows  almost  due  east,  a  very  different 
course  to  that  marked  on  existing  maps.  The  average 
fall  of  the  river  is  very  slight,  being  1  foot  in  1849. 
When  I  visited  it,  water  was  not  running,  although  there 
were  several  large  pools  in  the  stream  bed  :  but  the  natives 
state  that  after  the  rains  it  is  often  impassable  for  weeks. 
The  channel  varies  from  10  to  150  yards  in  breadth  and 
is  filled  with  the  densest  jungle,  through  which  in  most 
places  it  is  often  impossible  to  find  a  way. 

There  are  no  permanent  streams  and  no  perennial  rain- 
pools  or  water-holes  in  southern  Jubaland,  but  Gulola  and 
Gama  Gar  Swamps  and  the  pools  at  Shimbirleh  and  perhaps 
at  Jara  may  be  considered  as  semi-permanent,  as  with  an 
average  rainfall  they  last  throughout  the  year;  but  they 
have  been  known  to  dry  up,  with  disastrous  results  to  the 
Somali  and  their  cattle,  who  were  dependent  on  them.  At 
Jara  water  may  be  obtained  by  digging  from  3  to  9 
feet,  and  I  found  traces  of  three  old  wells,  now  fallen  into 

301 


APPENDIX  A 


disuse  and  almost  concealed  by  reeds.  The  largest  and 
most  important  water-holes  are:  Eil-ad,  Gombe-Barsa,  Jara, 
Gama  Gar,  Gulola  and  Tubtu.  I  saw  many  others,  but  they 
were  small  and  not  to  be  relied  on  except  immediately  after 
a  plentiful  rainy  season. 

As  regards  the  Bisahu-Hamu,  marked  on  every  map 
as  an  important  swamp,  its  name  is  unknown  to  the  natives, 
but  north  of  Bussa  Berora  there  is  a  large  plain  covered 
with  coarse  grass  that  no  doubt  becomes  swampy  in  the 
rainy  season,  a  peculiarity  not  confined  only  to  that 
locality. 

During  the  rains  and  shortly  after  there  is  surface  water 
almost  everywhere  in  the  bush  in  little  shallow  pans. 
Although  containing  little  water,  and  that  highly  unpleasant 
in  quality,  these  rain-pools  are  often  invaluable  to  the 
traveller. 

2.  Lak  Dera  ("  Lak,"  Galla  word  for  a  non-permanent 
stream  ;  "  Dera,"  Somali  for  Long). — The  Lak  Dera  is  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  river  Uaso  Nyiro.  I  followed  the  course  of 
the  river  (with  the  exception  of  about  thirty  miles  between 
Sereda  and  Madoleh)  from  longitude  400  43'  E.  to  Marti 
Mountain,  where  the  Uaso  Nyiro  is  well  known,  and  I  can 
positively  state  that  the  river  bed  is  continuous  all  the  way 
without  a  break,  even  in  the  two  Lorian  Swamps,  and  that 
the  name  is  changed,  only  where  permanent  water  ceases  and 
the  Uaso  Nyiro,  which  grows  narrower  and  shallower  from 
Marti  Mountain  eastwards,  finally  and  very  gradually  sinks 
underground  at  Madoleh,  some  eleven  miles  below  the  second 
swamp.  Eastwards  from  the  latter  place  the  Lak  Dera 
varies  in  breadth  from  10  yards  to  300  yards,  the  bed  being 
generally  sandy  and  much  overgrown  with  bush  and  jungle. 
The  fall  is  very  slight,  especially  at  first,  and  averages  about 
1  in  600,  though  just  below  Toor  Guda  there  is  a  stretch 
of  1  in  200.  It  runs  in  a  very  broad  shallow  valley, 
bounded  on  north  and  south  above  Sereda  by  low  rounded 
hills  which  send  down  spurs  towards  the  river ;  but  the  only 
important  feeder,  if  a  dry  stream  may  be  called  such,  is  the 
Lak  Aboloni,  which  rises  in  a  series  of  small  swamps,  almost 
due  north  of  Liboyi.    On  each  side  of  the  Aboloni  and 

302 


APPENDIX  A 


between  it  and  the  Lak  Dera  the  country  is  extremely 
fertile,  and  the  soil  is  probably  alluvial  and  undoubtedly 
very  rich,  resembling  the  plains  on  each  side  of  the  Lorian 
Swamps.  With  this  exception  the  district  is  arid  in  the 
extreme,  covered  with  dense  thorn,  and  in  my  opinion  it  will 
never  be  of  any  great  value  either  for  cattle  or  for  farming. 
The  only  possibility  of  improving  it  and  making  it  inhabit- 
able, as  far  as  I  can  see,  would  be  to  sink  a  series  of  wells  in 
the  bed  of  the  Lak  Dera  and  perhaps  at  Jara,  where  I  am 
convinced  there  is  a  copious  underground  flow  of  water.  In 
this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  natives 
say  that  two  days  before  water  flows  down  the  Lak  Dera 
the  bed  of  the  river  becomes  noticeably  wet,  and  when 
they  see  this  they  know  they  can  take  their  cattle  farther 
west. 

3.  Lorian} — The  district  known  under  this  name  to  the 
natives  extends  from  Madoleh  to  Marti  Mountain,  or  roughly, 
from  longitude  40°  E.  to  390  E.  Throughout  this  section  there 
is  permanent  water,  and  it  possesses,  in  my  opinion,  great 
agricultural  possibilities.  It  may  be  considered  as  a  shallow 
valley,  sloping  gently  to  the  south-east,  whose  floor  consists  of 
an  alluvial  plain  of  great  extent,  divided  unequally  into  two 
parts  by  the  Uaso  Nyiro  and  Lorian  Swamps.  The  valley, 
which  is  narrow  at  its  western  extremity,  and  somewhat 
thickly  covered  with  bush  near  the  river,  broadens  out  till  it 
reaches  its  maximum  width  near  Arro-Dima.  Here  there 
would  be  no  clearing  to  do,  and  the  whole  plain  could  easily 
be  irrigated  from  the  river.  I  am  sure  that  rice,  cotton, 
sugar-cane  and  Indian  corn  would  do  extremely  well  on 
both  banks.  Below  Madoleh  the  country  again  becomes 
arid  and  waterless.  Twelve  miles  above  the  latter  place 
there  is  a  small  swamp  some  five  miles  in  length  and  about 
two  miles  broad  when  I  saw  it,  but  its  breadth  may  be 
increased  some  two  miles  during  the  rains.  A  thin  line  of 
thorn  trees  runs  through  the  middle  denoting  the  actual 
river  bed.  On  each  side  is  a  bed  of  tall  grass  and  reeds. 
Underfoot  it  is  very  swampy,  and  there  were  about  6  inches 

1  A  full  description  of  the  Lorian  is  given  in  Chapters  XVIII.  and 
XIX. 

303 


APPENDIX  A 

of  surface  water  there  in  February.  Between  this  and  the 
main  Lorian  Swamp  the  river  flows  through  an  open  plain 
for  about  six  miles  (approximately),  though  the  bush  comes 
very  near  to  its  northern  bank  just  west  of  Melka  Waja. 
The  main  Lorian  Swamp,  whose  long  axis  runs  N.W.  and 
S.E.,  consists,  on  its  eastern  extremity,  of  grass  some  12 
feet  high.  There  are  a  few  trees  along  both  banks  of  the 
river,  but  the  grass  soon  gives  place  to  a  dense  bed  of  reeds, 
narrow  on  the  northern  bank,  but  about  twelve  miles  broad  on 
the  southern  bank.  The  Uaso  Nyiro  enters  these  reeds  near 
Melka  Dera,1  and  on  its  entrance  divides  into  three  channels, 
of  which  the  northern  one  was  dry,  as  was  the  southern  one. 
The  main  branch,  however,  winds  its  way  through  in  a  distinct 
channel  some  10  yards  broad  at  first  and  2  feet  deep,  but 
gradually  grows  narrower  until,  when  it  emerges  from  the 
swamp  near  Melka  Waja,  it  is  scarcely  6  yards  broad  and 
12  inches  deep.  Some  three  miles  westwards  of  this  swamp  it 
flows  beween  high  banks  covered  with  dense  jungle  and  tall 
trees,  which  in  turn  give  place  to  groups  of  dom  palms  and 
large  mimosa  trees  near  Marti  Mountain,  where  it  makes  a 
large  bend  to  the  north. 

As  to  the  existing  resources  of  the  country,  they  are 
somewhat  meagre.  I  saw  no  traces  of  valuable  minerals, 
but  there  was  some  fine  timber  in  the  forests  of  Guranlagga. 
There  are  two  species  of  trees  used  by  the  Somali  for  making 
their  spear-shafts.  These  might  prove  valuable  for  orna- 
mental purposes,  one  being  a  rich  black  when  worked,  and 
the  other  having  a  very  beautiful  grain.  These  trees  were 
also  plentiful  near  the  Lak  Dera. 

If  the  water-supply  could  be  improved,  either  by  sinking 
wells  or  building  reservoirs,  there  is  no  doubt  that  many 
crops  could  be  grown  with  ease,  for  there  are  large  tracts  in 
Guranlagga,  Joreh,  Kurde,  Arroga,  Gulola  and  Lorian,  where 
the  soil  is  very  rich.  There  are  two  plants  which  may  be  of 
commercial  value,  as  they  are  much  used  by  natives  for  their 
medicinal  properties.  One  acts  as  a  purge,  the  other  seems 
to  possess  much  the  same  value  as  quinine. 

The  map  is  from  plane  table  and  prismatic  compass 
1  Latitude  i°  12'  58"  N.,  longitude  390  34'  37"  E. 
304 


APPENDIX  A 


traverses,  adjusted  to  the  astronomically  determined  posi- 
tions of  Eil-ad,  Seyera,  Shimbirleh,  Wangema  Mogal,  Guratti, 
Jara,  Gonia  Iddu,  Gulola,  Jeldez,  Robleh,  Liboyi,  Tur  Guda, 
Sereda,  Eil-adi,  Haryel,  Melka  Waja,  Melka  Dera,  Melka 
Gela  (Boran  boma)  and  Marti  Plateau.  The  latitudes  for 
these  places  were  obtained  from  north  and  south  stars,  or 
sun  circum-meridian  observations,  and,  in  the  case  of  Haryel, 
by  double  altitudes  of  the  sun  (Ivory's  formula). 

Longitudes  are  from  chronometric  differences  by  east 
and  west  stars,  or  by  the  mean  of  observations  to  the  sun 
east  and  west  of  the  meridian,  and  depend  on  the  position  of 
Kismayu  Island  (Observation  Point),  which  is  given  by  the 
B.E.A.  Survey  Office  as  in  latitude  0°  23'  6"  S.,  and  longitude 
42°  33'  3i"  E. 

Azimuth  observations  were  taken  from  time  to  time 
when  any  distant  object  could  be  seen,  and  the  magnetic 
variation  was  found  to  vary  between  g°  W.  and  50  45'  E., 
the  latter  being  the  deflection  of  the  needle  at  Marti 
Plateau. 

All  these  observations  were  taken  with  a  4-inch  theodolite 
fitted  with  Reeves'  tangent  micrometers,  which,  in  spite  of 
the  rough  usage  to  which  it  was  unavoidably  exposed, 
rendered  every  satisfaction. 

Heights  are  from  boiling-point  and  aneroid  observations, 
depending  on  the  altitude  of  Mark  Hill,  Kismayu  (140  feet), 
as  given  on  the  Admiralty  Chart. 

Two  short  lines  of  levels  were  run,  one  near  Seyera  in 
order  to  prove  the  impossibility  of  the  Guranlagga  rising 
there  and  flowing  southwards,  and  the  other  to  the  east  of 
Melka  Waja  to  satisfy  myself  of  the  possibility  of  an  outflow 
from  the  Lorian  Swamps  during  the  rainy  season.  The 
method  adopted  was  that  described  on  page  180  of  the  ninth 
edition  of  the  Hints  to  Travellers.  But  owing  to  the 
levelling  staff  being  very  primitive,  the  results  could  only 
be  approximations,  though  they  sufficed  to  show  that  my 
theories  were  correct. 

The  forms  lines  are  extremely  rough,  and  were  put  in  by 
the  help  of  an  aneroid  and  hypsometer  merely  to  show  the 
approximate  relief  of  the  country, 
u  305 


APPENDIX  A 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the  instruments  used  : — 

i  4-inch  tangent  micrometer  theodolite. 

i  Plane  table  with  folding  telescopic  alidade. 

1  Hypsometer. 

2  Aneroids  (R.G.S.  pattern), 
i  Prismatic  compass. 

1  Astronomical  compass. 

2  Half-chronometer  watches  (R.G.S.  pattern). 

Maximum,  minimum,  wet  and  dry  bulb  thermometers  ;  100  feet 
steel  tape  and  levelling  staff,  etc. 

The  wooded  nature  of  the  country  and  its  extreme 
flatness  rendered  any  other  method  than  that  which  I 
adopted  impossible  with  the  time  at  my  disposal.  A  more 
rigorous  survey  would  take  years  to  accomplish,  and  would 
cost  an  enormous  sum. 


306 


APPENDIX  B 

CLIMATE 

On  the  whole  I  consider  the  climate  of  Jubaland  distinctly 
unhealthy.  Of  the  twenty-six  men  in  my  safari  only  three 
escaped  an  attack  of  malarial  fever.  In  addition,  I  had  nine 
cases  of  dysentery  and  one  of  heat  prostration.  The  average 
number  of  cases  treated  per  day  throughout  the  journey  was 
three — a  very  high  percentage.  I  used  over  2000  grains  of 
quinine  for  my  men  alone.  The  water  throughout  Jubaland 
is  very  bad,  stagnant,  and  contains  much  matter  in  suspen- 
sion— as  is  only  to  be  expected  when  the  water-supply  is 
purely  surface  water  and  where  no  springs  or  permanent 
rivers  exist.  Mosquitoes  {Anopheles)  abound  round  these 
pools,  but  I  saw  no  tsetse  fly.  The  heat  was  very  great 
during  the  day,  and  the  nights  were  not  much  cooler, 
the  mean  daily  maximum  being  960,  and  the  mean  daily 
minimum  830  (Kurde,  Gulola  and  Arroga).  The  moisture 
was  at  all  times  very  great,  rendering  the  air  heavy 
and  oppressive.  Whenever  I  was  in  camp  for  more  than 
one  day,  I  took  hourly  readings  of  the  barometer,  which 
showed  a  very  regular  diurnal  variation  of  about  0  09  inch 
between  the  maximum  and  minimum  readings.  After 
leaving  Joreh,  I  no  longer  felt  the  monsoon,  instead  of  which 
there  was  a  fairly  constant  wind  from  the  south-east  during 
the  middle  of  the  day  during  the  early  part  of  January,  but 
later  in  Kurde  and  westwards  it  became  very  faint,  scarcely 
a  breath  of  air  being  felt  in  the  bush.  The  maximum 
temperature  recorded  was  1160  in  the  shade  at  Jeldez.  I 
noticed  no  daily  recurring  form  of  clouds  or  other  excep- 
tional meteorological  phenomena. 


307 


APPENDIX  C 


LIST  OF  TRADE  GOODS,  WITH  THEIR  PURCHASING 
POWER  IN  THE  INTERIOR 


i  Cloth  1  "  Bufta  »  (calico) 
i  Cloth  "  Murduf "  (twill) 
i  Cloth  "Americani"  . 
Coloured  cloths  (cheap) 
Coloured  cloths  (special) 
Women's  cloths  (black) 
Silk  squares,  according  to  size 
Buni— I*  lb  


Trade  value. 

.  Rs.4. 

.  Rs.  3.25. 

.  Rs.  2.75. 

.  Rs.  4. 

.  Rs.  7. 

.  Rs.  0.20c. 

.  Rs.  3-Rs.  30. 

.  Rs.  1. 


There  was  a  steady  demand  for  "buni"  everywhere,  as 
there  was  for  "  bufta,"  coloured  cloths  of  the  kind  common  in 
Kismayu  and  black  cloths  for  the  women.  The  Somali 
would  not  purchase  "murduf"  or  "Americani/"  but  were 
glad  to  accept  them  as  part  of  a  present.  There  was  no 
demand  for  rice  in  the  interior,  but  Indian  corn  (unground) 
is  always  sought  after.  In  payment  the  Somali  have  to 
offer  cattle  and  ghee,  the  latter  being  very  expensive  in 
Jubaland,  averaging  Rs.  22  for  36  lb.  The  following  is  the 
average  trade  price  of  cattle  in  the  interior : — 


Yearling  calf  or  heifer 
Three-year-old  ox 
Three-year-old  cow  . 
Cow  with  calf 
Sheep  and  goats 


Rs.  20. 

Rs.  30-Rs.  40. 
Rs.  30-Rs.  35. 
Rs.  40-Rs.  45. 
Rs.  4-Rs.  6. 


The  traveller  should  carry,  in  addition  to  the  above  trade 
goods,  a  quantity  of  various  kinds  of  perfume  (consisting  of 
wooden  chips  and  gum),  tobacco  in  twists  for  the  Waboni, 
and  a  few  looking-glasses  and  razors  (not  knives),  all  of 
1  One  cloth  equals  8  yards. 

308 


APPENDIX  C 


which  would  be  suitable  to  form  part  of  a  present  to  a 
chief. 

Among  the  Borana  the  goods  most  in  demand  are 
"  murduf  "  and  "  Americani"  (not  bufta),  white  metal  brace- 
lets and  cubes  (only  to  be  obtained  in  Kismayu),  various 
coloured  beads,  cowrie  shells,  "  buni  "  and  common  chewing 
tobacco.  The  prices  of  cattle  are  somewhat  lower  than 
among  the  Somali.  Before  starting  out,  the  traveller  should 
try  and  find  out  from  a  native  trader  what  form  and  colour 
of  beads  are  in  favour  at  the  time,  as  the  Borana  vary 
frequently  in  their  tastes. 


309 


APPENDIX  D 

NAMES  OF  ANIMALS 


English. 

Somali. 

bwanili. 

i.  Buffalo 

Gisi 

Mbogo. 

2.  Bushbuck 

Pongo. 

3.  Crocodile 

— 

Mamba. 

4.  Dik-dik 

Sakaro 

Paa. 

5.  Elephant 

Marodi 

Tembo. 

6.  Nearly  all  gazelles 

Aoul 

Swala. 

7.  Gerenuk 

Gerenuk 

Gerenuk. 

8.  Giraffe 

Gir'ri 

Twiga. 

9.  Hippo 

Jir 

Kiboko. 

10.  Hunter's  hartebeeste 

Arrola 

Arrola. 

11.  Hyaena 

Didar  (striped) 

Fisi. 

Woroba  (spotted) 

12.  Impalla 

Arrola 

Swala,  or  Palla. 

13.  Kudu  (greater) 

Godir 

Marua. 

„  (lesser) 

Dir-dir 

Kungu. 

14.  Leopard 

Shebeil 

Chui. 

15.  Lion 

Lib'bah 

Simba. 

16.  Oryx 

Biid  (plural,  Biida) 

Cheroa. 

17.  Rhino 

Wiil 

Faru. 

310 


APPENDIX  D 


English. 

Somali. 

Swahili. 

18.  Topi 

Sig 

Topi. 

19.  Waterbuck 

Kuril. 

20.  Zebra 

Far'ro 

Punda  milia. 

21.  Grevy's  zebra 

Far'ro 

Kangani. 

22.  Guinea-fowl 

Diguir're 

Kanga. 

3" 


INDEX 


Abd  Wak  tribe,  the,  139. 
Abdi  Aden,  chief,  107,  119. 
Abdul  Malik  bin  Muriani,  31,  41. 
Abdulla  tribe,  the,  139. 
Abyssinia,  raiding  parties  from,  18. 
Administration,  difficulties  of,  157. 
Afmadu,  22. 
Agodi,  81. 

Agriculture,  impossibility  of,  143. 
Ahmed  Mugan,  chief,  139. 
Albino  waterbuck,  216. 
Albino  zebra,  216. 
Ambergris,  sale  of,  42. 
Amu  or  Lamu,  31. 
Antelopes  in  Jubaland,  252. 
Arabian  or  desert  camel,  269. 
"  Araru"  trees,  54. 
Archer,  G.  F.,  18,  128. 
Archer's  Post,  279. 
Arnoleh,  R.,  25  ;  game  near,  46. 
Arnoleh  district,  the,  156. 
Arro  dima,  swamp  near,  263. 
Arroga,  149. 
Arroga,  giraffe  in,  250. 
Arrola,  the,  94,  108,  no,  118,  122,  123, 
250. 

Askaris  or  police,  65. 
Athi  Plains,  the,  116,  255. 
Aulehan  tribe,  the,  139. 
Aylmer,  Lieut.,  20. 

Baboons,  239. 

Bactrian  camel,  the,  269. 

Bajun  Is.,  31. 

"  Bal"  or  feathered  head-dress,  151. 
Bath,  290. 

Bearings,  taking,  79;  a  novel  plan,  128. 

Bedstead,  a  folding,  289. 

Bhoji,  district  of,  126. 

Bimaal  tribe,  the,  140. 

Birds- 
Duck,  82,  83,  257. 
Egrets,  203,  215. 


1  Birds — Francolin,  71,  79,  82,  256. 
Honey-bird,  170. 
Hornbill,  53. 
Marabou  storks,  103. 
Teal,  103. 

Vulturine  guinea-fowl,  55,  71,  79,  83, 
256. 

Weaver  birds,  133. 

Bisahu  Hamu,  the,  25,  164. 

Biskayia,  138. 

"  Boma,"  a  Somali,  54. 

Boni  tribe,  the,  143,  156. 

Borana  boma,  a,  227 ;  women,  228 ; 
customs,  228  ;  language,  228  ;  dress, 
230 ;  ornaments,  231  ;  weapons, 
231 ;  cattle-owners,  233. 

Borana,  the,  18. 

Bow,  Borana,  232. 

Brass  horn,  history  of  the,  34. 

Brava,  28,  42. 

British  East  Africa,  exploration  in,  18. 

Broun,  Col.,  21,  14,  216. 

Bubalidince,  the,  94. 

"  Buni "  or  Somali  coffee,  74,  152. 

Burial  of  a  chief,  156. 

Bush  shelters,  209. 

Bussa  Berora,  164. 

Camel,  Somali's  affection  for  his,  154. 

Camels,  56,  61  ;  duties  on,  62  ;  crossing 
the  Juba,  63  ;  Government  allowance, 
65;  "gainda,"  120,  174,  177,  268; 
Arabian  or  desert,  269 ;  Bactrian, 
269  ;  wild,  270 ;  anatomy,  270 ;  in 
the  U.S.A.,  272 ;    sickness,  274 ; 

firing,"  275;  baggage  and  riding 
C,  275;  "aurki"  and  "Gol"  C, 
275 ;  defects,  276 ;  characteristics, 
276. 

Camels,  buying,  48. 
Camels,  the  necessity  for,  27. 
Camp  scene,  a,  66. 
Cana,  F.  R.,  20. 


313 


INDEX 


Canis  mesomelas,  54. 
Caravan,  my,  65. 
Cartridges,  inferior,  123. 
Cattle  brands,  51,  121,  152. 
Cattle  of  the  Somali,  145, 
Chair,  portable,  289.  ^"Z. 
Chanler,  21. 

Character  of  the  Somali,  144. 

China   and   pottery   manufactories  of 

Lamu,  33. 
"  Chop"  boxes,  288. 
Civet  cat,  69, 

Cleanliness,  the  need  for,  290. 
Climate,  App.  B,  307. 
Closed  district,  a,  19. 
Club  at  Kismayu,  40. 
Cobus  ellipsiprymnus,  216.  \ 
Cockburn,  N.  C. ,  18. 
Coke's  hartebeeste,  96. 
Colonisation  of  the  east  coast,  31. 
Conifers,  flat-topped,  50, 
Costume  of  married  women,  184. 
Cotton,  cultivation  of,  46. 
Crocodile,  267. 

Crocodiles  in  the  Uaso  Nyiro,  23. 
Cunninghame,  R.  P.,  27. 
Curiosity,  native,  235. 
Cus  oms,  Borana,  228. 

Dahir   Omar,    my    Somali  headman, 
26. 

"Dameir  Baktis  "^district,  51. 

Dance,  a  Somali,  92. 

Dancing,  153. 

Darud  Juberti,  138. 

Darud  Somali,  137. 

Daua  R.,  19,  46. 

"  Desert"  of  Jubaland,  the,  142. 

Desert  scrub,  68. 

Deshek  Warna,  L.,  24,  46,  75. 

Dibayu  Plain,  52,  81,  255.  j 

Dik-dik,  56,  254. 

Dirr  tribe,  the,  138,  241. 

Dol,  71. 

Dolbahanta  tribe,  the,  138. 

Dolo,  138. 

Dress,  Borana,  230. 

Drinks,  hints  on,  293. 

Dubarra  daughter  of  Dogolla,  138. 

Duck,  82. 

Dundas,  Hon.  K.  R.,  39,  77. 
Durnford,  Port,  25. 
Duties  on  camels,  62. 
Dysentery,  65,  75,  76. 


Egrets,  203. 

Eil-ad  bush,  the,  70. 

Eil  Wak,  19. 

El  Lin  swamp,  25,  75. 

Elephants,  72,  74,  80,  130,  167,  200,  216, 

248. 
Elliott,  F.,  157. 
Equipment,  65,  288. 
Equipment  of  warriors,  149. 
Exploration  in  British  East  Africa,  18, 284. 
Eyladera,  67. 

Farar  Ali,  my  camel  syce,  63. 

Fertility  of  the  Juba  Valley,  46. 

Fire,  a  prairie,  220. 

Fish,  129,  217. 

Fish  in  the  Uaso  Nyiro,  22. 

Fitzinger,  Dr.,  145. 

Flies,  73  ;  dangerous,  80. 

Francolin,  71,  79. 

Frogs,  176. 

Gabra  tribe,  the,  241. 

"  Gainda,"  a  camel  complaint,  121. 

Galla  tribes,  20,  141. 

Galti  branch  of  Somali,  44,  138. 

Gama  Gar  water-hole,  133. 

Game — 

Buffalo,  84,  127. 

Dik-dik,  56,  71,  178,  248. 

Elephants,  72,  80,  130,  200,  248,  264. 

Gerenuk,  52,  68,  104,  124,  222,  252,  254. 

Giraffe,  89,  113,  122,  178, 179,  189,  248. 

Grant's  gazelle,  66,  203,  209,  222,  223, 
250,  251. 

Hunter's  hartebeeste,  92-102,  106,  250. 

Impalla,  261,  266. 

Leopard,  57,  248. 

Lesser  kudu,  107,  127,  252. 

Oryx  beisa,  52,  89,  122,  130,  203,  218, 

222,  252,  253. 
Peter's  gazelle,  52,  250,  259. 
Silver-backed  jackal,  54,  55. 
Topi,  87,  99,  96,  112,  117,  124,  251. 
Wart-hog,  226. 

Waterbuck,  215-221,  222,  226. 

Zebra,  114,  209,  210,  222,  223,  247, 
255,  256. 
Geographical  Journal,  The,  20. 
Geographical  results,  App.  A,  300. 
Gerenuk,  52,  68,  118,  254. 
Gerenuk,  a  lost,  105. 
Ghee  spoons,  carved,  152. 
Gifts,  concerning,  294. 


3 


14 


INDEX 


Giraffe,  89,  113. 

Giraffe,  "  netted  or  Somali,"  249. 

Giumbo,  44,  47. 

Goats,  Somali,  146. 

Gobwein,  41,  44,  67. 

Goloshe  Gorme",  125. 

Goloshe"  Wan*,  87. 

Gombe"  Barsa,  86. 

Gondal,  57. 

Gonia  Iddu,  98,  164. 

Gosha  country,  40. 

Government  road,  a,  280. 

Grant's  gazelle,  66. 

Grant's  gazelle,  table  of  races  of,  252. 

Grant's  zebra,  115,  256. 

Grevy's  zebra,  114,  115,  209,  210,  222, 

223,  247,  255. 
Ground-sheet,  the,  288. 
"  Guda"  thorn  trees,  184. 
Guide,  a  runaway,  237. 
Gulola,  district  of,  126,  131,  161. 
Gulola  Swamp,  the,  165. 
Guranlagga,  the,  72,  75. 
Guranlagga,  game  in,  248. 
Guratti,  91. 
"  Gurgi,"  or  huts,  147. 
Gururu,  76. 
Gwynn,  Major,  18. 

Habr  Suliman  tribe,  139. 

Hadamamel  Dabassa,  164. 

Hair,  bleaching  the,  194. 

Hair  combs,  119,  149. 

Hair  dressing,  149,  194. 

"  Hans,"  or  water  vessel,  Borana,  232. 

Hard  travelling,  a  land  of,  299. 

Hare,  a  pet,  120. 

Harford,  Dr.,  290. 

Hartebeeste,  Hunter's,  94,  108,  110,  118, 

122,  123,  250. 
Hartebeeste,  true,  94,  95. 
Haryel,  140. 
Haryel  Plains,  198. 
Hassan  branch  of  Somali,  138. 
Hassan,  my  interpreter,  181. 
Haweyah,  the,  137. 

Haweyah  hunters,  215,  240 ;  arms,  242 ; 

method  of  hunting,  242. 
Haywood,  C.  W.,  21. 
Headman,  a  useful,  60. 
Heat,  intense,  84,  87,  88,  122,  174,  187. 
Helwalud  Hill,  45. 

"  Herios  "or  camel  mats,  Borana,  55,  233. 
Herti  Guide, 'photographing  my,  77. 


Herti  Somali,  52 ;  Farar  Ali,  63 ;  Mo- 
hammed Aden,  64 ;  Mohammed 
Shirwa,  64,  88  ;  fever  and  dysentery 
among,  89  ;  a  dance,  92,  183. 

Herti  tribe,  origin  of,  138. 

Hints  on  Outfit,  Dr.  Harford's,  290. 

Hobia  or  Obbia,  137. 

Hoey,  A.  C.,  18. 

Honey-bird,  a,  170. 

Hook,  a  curious,  150. 

Hornbill,  the,  53. 

Horns,  fine  Arrola,  124. 

Horns,  interesting,  34. 

Hunter,  H.  C.  V.,  94. 

Hunting-dogs,  167. 

Hunting  in  Jubaland,  111,  257. 

Hunting  in  the  scrub,  99. 

Huts  at  Kismayu,  native,  43. 

Huts,  Borana,  229. 

Hydrography  of  S.  Jubaland,  25. 

Illness  of  the  porters,  190. 
Impalla,  the,  98,  262. 
Insect  pests,  211. 
Invalid  foods,  291. 
Iron-workers,  the  class  of,  150. 
Isak,  a  division  of  the  Marehar  Somali, 
138. 

Ishaak  Somali,  137.  % 
Ismail  Juberti,  137,  241. 
Italian  Soinaliland,  19. 
Ivory  Horn  of  Patte,  the,  35 
Ivory,  sale  of,  42. 

Jaffa-wein,  22,  207. 

Jana  Nyeri,  112,  114,  171. 

Jara,  water-holes  and  wells  at,  128. 

Jeldez,  139,  171. 

Jenner,  A.  C.  W.,  murder  of,  180. 
Jombeni  mountains,  284. 
Joreh,  65,  86. 

Joreh  district,  giraffe  in,  250. 

Joreh,  game  in,  248. 

Juba,  R.,  17,  19,  45,  63,  67 ;  game,  248. 

Juba  Valley,  fertility  of  the,  46. 

Jubaland,  19. 

Jubaland,  geographical  aspects  of,  142. 
Jubaland,  S.,  hydrography  of,  25. 
Jubaland  Somali,  137. 
Juma,  accident  to,  74,  75. 
Juniper  us  Procera,  50. 

Kenya  Mountain,  17,  18,  281. 
Kilima-ya-Mesa,  or  Marti,  246. 


315 


INDEX 


fClhua,  the,  42. 

Kismayu,  population  of,  21,  25,  28,  38, 

39,  40  ;  importance  of,  40  ;  buildings, 

40,  42  ;  club,  40  ;  wells,  41 ;  founded, 
41 ;  trade,  42 ;  roads,  43  ;  huts,  43. 

Kitui,  284. 
Kiunga,  19. 
Knowles,  F.  A.,  221. 
Kongoni,  101. 
Kulal,  18,  19. 

Kurde,  district  of,  78,  129  ;  game  in,  248. 

Laikipia  plateau,  the,  21. 
Lak  Aboloni,  the,  183.  ' 
Lak  Arro  dima,  207. 
Lak  Dera,  20,  22,  75,  183,  206. 
Lak  Guran  and  Guranlagga,  meaning 
of,  82. 

Lak  Guran,  source  of  the,  131. 

"Lak  Guranluga,"  the,  an  example  of 
confusion  in  geographical  nomen- 
clature, 25. 

Lakjiro,  the,  25,  75. 

"  Lakdera,"  meaning  of,  25. 

Lamu,  28  ;  the  houses  of,  32  ;  inhabitants, 
33  ;  industries  of,  33. 

Lamu  Bay,  30. 

Land  of  Zinj,  The,  42. 

Land  untouched,  a,  284,  285. 

Landmarks  in  the  bush,  in. 

Language,  Borana,  228. 

Language  difficulties,  219. 

Lascar,  a  picturesque,  28. 

Leh,  the  suffix,  meaning  of,  45. 

Lelwel  hartebeeste,  96. 

Leopards,  57. 

Lesser  kudu,  102,  107. 

Liboyi,  81,  178,  180. 

Licentious  inhabitants  of  Lamu,  33. 

Lions,  52,  244,  247. 

Loita  Plains,  255. 

Lophoceros  medianus,  54. 

Lorian  Swamp,  19  ;  position  of,  21 ;  first 
view  of,  201,  205,  207  ;  bed  of  the 
Lorian,  214  ;  absence  of  game,  214, 
222. 

Lydekker,  Mr.  R.,  115,  270. 

Maanthinle  tribe,  the,  241. 
Mackenzie  River,  the,  284. 
Macmillan,  W.  N.,  23. 
Madoleh,  24,  46,  206,  208. 
Maghabul  Somali,  126,  139. 
Maghabul  village,  a,  103. 

3 


Mahommed  Ali's  bodyguard,  163. 
Maize,  cultivation  of,  46. 
Malarial  fever,  76. 
Malindi,  28,  30,  42. 
Manda  Island,  31. 

Manda,  the  Sultan  of,  and  the  Brass 

Horn,  34. 
Marabou  storks,  103. 
Marehan  Somali,  the,  44. 
Marehan  tribe,  origin  of,  138. 
Marer  Koh,  22. 
Market,  a,  161* 
Marsabit,  18,  19. 
Marti,  245. 

Marti  Plateau,  the,  23,  236. 

Matthews  Range,  the,  18. 

Maud,  Capt.,  18. 

Medical  treatment,  163. 

Melka  Adi,  218. 

Melka  Dera,  214. 

Melka  Gela,  22,  206. 

Melka  Waja,  205. 

Meru,  281  ;  a  thriving  place,  282. 

Mfudu,  46. 

Midjertein  tribe,  the,  138. 

Migdan  tribe,  the,  150. 

Military  outposts,  19. 

Milk  pail,  Borana,  233. 

Mimosas,  79. 

Mirage,  215. 

Mogadishu,  28,  41. 

Mohammed  Aden,  64,  138. 

Mohammed  Ali,  Sultan,  135-159. 

Mohammed  Shirwa,  Chief  of  the  Herti 

Somali,  64,  138. 
Mohammed  Zubheir  tribe,  139. 
Mohammed  Zubheir  and  Abd  Wak  tribes, 

conflict  between,  184. 
Mombasa,  26. 
Mongoose,  a  pet,  120. 
Monkeys,  a  troop  of,  83. 
Monotonous  scenery,  91. 
Mosquito  net,  289. 
Mosquitoes,  66,  211. 
Moths,  white,  79. 
Moyale,  19. 
Msuaki  bush,  222. 
Mudflats,  dreary,  226. 
Muhoroni,  96. 
Mule,  an  unruly,  211. 

Nairobi,  17,  26,  284. 
Naivasha,  213. 

Names  of  animals,  App.  D,  310. 
16 


INDEX 


Natives,  treatment  of,  294. 
"  Nature's  Zoo,"  17. 
Neumann's  hartebeeste,  96. 
Ngabotok,  19. 
Ngare  Nyuki,  the,  1,  223. 
Nomadic  habits  of  the  Somali,  144. 
Nomenclature,  confusion  in  geographical, 
24,  82. 

Northern  Frontier  district,  the,  19. 
Nyeri,  283. 

Nymphxa  stellata,  104,  177. 

Obe\  camp  at,  120. 

Observations,  taking,  83. 

Ogadan  tribe,  origin  of,  138. 

Ogaden  Somali,  98,  109. 

Ornaments,  Borana,  231. 

Oryx  beisa,  52,  89,  122,  130,  203,  218, 

222,  252,  253. 
Oryx,  the  fringe-eared,  253. 

Pack-saddles,  61. 
Patte,  the  ivory  horn  of,  35. 
"  Pedicle"  horn,  95. 
Percival,  A.  B.,  101,  216. 
Persian  monastery  at  Lamu,  58. 
Persian  ruins,  31. 
Peter's  gazelle,  52. 
Phillips,  Lieut.,  44. 
Phoenician  settlements,  31. 
Photographic  outfit,  296. 
Poison  for  arrows,  150. 
Porters,  engaging,  27. 
Porters  and  servants,  paying  off  my,  282. 
Portuguese  rule,  32. 
Presents,  61. 
Prisoners,  Somali,  196. 
Problems  to  be  faced  in  Jubaland,  160. 
Pternistes  infuscatus,  71. 
Punishment,  difficulties  in  administering, 
158. 

Rahn-wen  tribe,  the,  140. 
Raiding  parties,  18. 
Rainbow,  a  double,  172. 
Rama  Gudi,  126,  149,  166 ;  giraffe  in, 
250. 

Reddie,  A.  T.,  33. 
Reeves,  Mr.  E.  A. ,  295. 
Rer  Mohammed  tribe,  139. 
" Residente"  of  Giumbo,  47. 
Rhinoceros,  247,  259,  260. 
Rivers  and  wells  of  Jubaland,  142. 
Robleh,  water-hole,  177. 


Rudolf,  L.,  18,  285. 
Ruins,  remarkable,  57. 
Rumuruti,  213. 

Sabaki  R.,  the,  252,  285. 

Salkeld,  Capt.  R.  E.,  26,  58,  60,  156. 

Samburu,  the,  225. 

Sargent,  Mr.,  46. 

Sarrenleh,  19,  45,  136. 

Scientific  instruments,  27. 

Scientific  outfit,  295. 

Scrub,  186. 

Scrub,  a  bad  patch  of,  175. 

Scrub,  bush,  and  plain  of  Jubaland,  142. 

Sereda,  187. 

Seyera  swamp,  25  n.,  75. 
Sheep,  Somali,  145. 
Shela,  31. 

Sherif  Jamall  Lail,  the  ivory  horn  of,  35. 
Shield,  a  scarred,  52. 
Shield,  the  Somali,  149. 
Shimbirleh,  46,  82,  84,  131,  184. 
"  Shiraa,"  the,  32. 
Silver-backed  jackal,  54,  55. 
Sim-sim,  cultivation  of,  46. 
Singing,  153.  *iw 
Skinning  a  zebra,  117. 
Skins  most  prized,  151. 
Sleeping-pillows,  151. 
Smith,  Dr.  D.,  18. 
Snake  and  frog,  a,  78. 
Soldiers,  native,  of  Italian  Somaliland, 
48. 

Somali,  53  ;  boma,  54  ;  a  family,  55,  73, 
74,  121  ;  unpremeditated  display, 
127;  Jubaland  S.,  137;  S.  of  the 
bush,  139  ;  nomadic  habits,  143 ; 
adaptability,  144  ;  character,  144 ; 
cattle  and  sheep,  145  ;  village,  147  ; 
"tobe,"  148;  hair-dressing,  149; 
warriors,  150 ;  the  Tomal,  150 ; 
spears,  151;  "buni,"  152;  singing 
and  dancing,  153  ;  the  camel,  134  ; 
war  dance,  155 ;  the  Boni,  156 ; 
administration,  157,  183  ;  a  conflict, 
184  ;  hunters,  186  ;  cattle,  191  ;  head- 
man, 192 ;  suspicious  behaviour, 
194. 

Somali  tribes,  20. 

"  Song  of  Thanksgiving,"  153. 

Soya,  76. 

Spears,  151. 

Spiders'  webs,  85. 

Spoon,  an  elaborately  carved,  121. 


317 


INDEX 


Stigand,  Capt.,  18,  42. 
Storms,  73. 

Strepsiceros  imberbis,  107. 
Surveying,  244. 
Sven  Hedin,  270. 
Swahili  servants,  26,  181. 
Swamps,  unknown,  86. 
Syces,  64. 

Tabanus  Africanus,  80. 
Talamuga  tribes,  139. 
Tana  R.,  20. 

Tana  R.  and  Juba  R.,  confusion  between, 
47- 

Tana  R.,  unknown  country  about  the, 

284. 
Tanaland,  19. 

Tanner,  Capt.  C.  O.,  survey  by,  25. 
Teal,  103. 
Tent,  288. 
Thomas,  O.,  168. 
"Tobe,"  the,  53,  148,  194. 
Tomal,  the,  150. 

Topi,  87,  90,  96,  110,  117,  124,  251,  252. 
Trade,  234. 

Trade  goods  and  values,  App.  C,  308. 

Travelling  by  night,  149. 

Treasury  at  Kismayu,  41. 

Trees,  stunted,  50. 

Trench  round  the  tent,  288. 

Tristan  da  Cunha,  32. 

Trophies,  257. 

Tsetse  fly,  the,  45,  213. 

Tubtu,  water-hole,  173. 

Tufi  Borana,  the,  227. 

Tur  Guda,  140,  184. 

Uaso  Nyiro,  20,  21 ;  fish  in,  22,  98,  205, 
239,  244,  245  ;  vegetation,  258  ;  ford 
across,  279. 

Uganda  railway,  the,  17,  26. 

Umbrella  trees,  giant,  131. 

Ururaha  swamp,  22. 

Vegetation,  226,  238,  258,  263. 
Vegetation,  tropical,  72. 


Village,  a  Somali,  147. 
Viverra  civetta,  69. 
Von  Hohnel,  21. 

Vulturine  guinea-fowl,  55,  71,  79,  83, 

256. 

Wabayu,  poison  from  the,  150. 
Waboni,  the,  143,  156. 
Waja  gum,  edible,  205. 
Wajheir,  19. 

Wajiri  family,  the,  and  the  brass  horn, 
35- 

Wama  Iddu,  247. 
Wandorobo,  the,  156. 
War  dance,  a  Somali,  155. 
Warriors  on  the  march,  149. 
Wasengeleh  tribe,  the,  138. 
Waterbuck,  215,  216,  221,  222,  226. 
Water-holes,  71 ;  a  lovely  pool,  112,  129, 

133,  142,  160,  171,  176 ;  tradition, 

179,  186,  188. 
Water-lilies,  104. 
Water-tanks,  292. 
Weapons,  Borana,  231. 
Weapons  of  the  Haweyah,  242. 
Weaver  birds,  133. 
Webbe  Ganana  or  Juba  R.,  46. 
Webbe  Shebeyli,  the,  100,  140. 
Werdey  or  Galla  tribe,  140. 
Wickenburg,  Count  E.,  18. 
Wiesman,  the,  27  ;  accommodation  of, 

29. 

Wilson,  Dr.,  58. 

Women,  Borana,  228. 

Wooden  pillow,  a  curious,  52. 

Wooden  pillows,  119. 

Woosnam,  R.  B.,  115. 

"  Worrta"  or  rainwater  pools,  50,  215. 

Worrta,  L.,  25. 

Yak  trees,  51,  66,  79. 
Yata  Plateau,  the,  285. 
Yonti,  46,  67. 

Zebra,  114,  209,  210,  222,  223,  247,  255, 
256. 


Printed  by  Morrison  &  Gibb  Limited,  Edinburgh 


